Shloka 45

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

ततःपावकसङ्काशैश्शरैराशीविषोपमैः ।वानराणामनीकानिबिभेदसमरेप्रभुः ।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ pāvaka-saṅkāśaiḥ śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ |

vānarāṇām anīkāni bibheda samare prabhuḥ ||

Translation

その後、戦場にて主たる武将は、火のごとく輝き、毒蛇のごとく致命的な矢で、ヴァーナラの軍勢の陣を切り裂いた。

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्ययम्

• पावकसङ्काशैः: with fire-like
• पावकसङ्काशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (pāvakavat saṅkāśāḥ = resembling fire); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचनम्; qualifying ‘śaraiḥ’

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचनम्

• आशीविषोपमैः: serpent-like (venomous)
• आशीविषोपमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (āśīviṣavat upamāḥ = like venomous serpents); तृतीया बहुवचनम्; qualifying ‘śaraiḥ’

• वानराणाम्: of the Vanaras
• वानराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• अनीकानि: armies, divisions
• अनीकानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• बिभेद: split, shattered
• बिभेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• प्रभुः: the lord/master (Indrajit)
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

Context

Then the Lord of Rakshasas dispersed the complete army of Vanaras with arrows burning like fire and resembling venomous serpents.

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras
• Indrajit (implied as the acting warrior)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It underscores that violence magnifies suffering when unmoored from dharma; the Ramayana frames such power as dangerous when serving ego and tyranny.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit launches a fierce arrow-assault that breaks up the Vānara battle-lines.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic aggression and command over weaponry—skill that, in the epic’s moral lens, must be governed by righteousness.