Shloka 18

शिवधनुर्दर्शनं—रामेण धनुर्भङ्गश्च

The Showing of Śiva’s Bow and Rama’s Breaking of It

Devanagari script

तस्य शब्दो महानासीत् निर्घातसमनिस्वन:।भूमिकम्पश्च सुमहान् पर्वतस्येव दीर्यत:।।।।

Transliteration

tasya śabdo mahān āsīt nirghāta-sama-nisvanaḥ | bhūmikampaś ca sumahān parvatasya iva dīryataḥ ||

Translation

ពីនោះបានកើតមានសំឡេងកងរំពងដ៏ធំធេង ដូចសូរសន្ធឹករន្ទះ; ហើយផែនដីក៏រញ្ជួយយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ដូចជាភ្នំមួយកំពុងបែកចេញ។

Word by Word

• tasya: of it
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन; ‘of it/of him’

• śabdaḥ: sound
• śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

• mahān: great
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘great’ (qualifying śabdaḥ)

• āsīt: was / arose
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन

• nirghāta-sama-nisvanaḥ: thunderclap-like in sound
• nirghāta-sama-nisvanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirghāta (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + nisvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान/समानाधिकरण-भाव: ‘having a sound like thunderclap’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; śabda-विशेषण

• bhūmi-kampaḥ: earthquake
• bhūmi-kampaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक) + kampa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘earth’s trembling’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sumahān: very great
• sumahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘very great’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; bhūmi-kampa-विशेषण

• parvatasya: of a mountain
• parvatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन

• iva: as if / like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparison particle)

• dīryataḥ: (of one) splitting
• dīryataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṝ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present middle participle, शानच्), षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन; ‘of (a mountain) splitting’

Context

It generated a loud sound like the clap of thunder, like the trembling of the earth and the splitting of a mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva-dhanus (the great bow)

FAQs

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

Dharma is underscored by cosmic resonance: a righteous, destined act is portrayed as affecting even nature, emphasizing moral order beyond human society.

What is the narrative situation?

The bow breaks with an overwhelming crash, startling the entire assembly and shaking the ground.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s extraordinary, divinely-aligned prowess—strength so great it produces world-shaking effects.