Shloka 26

ऐन्द्ररथप्रदानम्

Indra’s Chariot Offered to Rāma; The Duel Intensifies

Devanagari script

तेराघवधनुर्मुक्तारुक्मपुङ्खाःशिखिप्रभाः ।सुपर्णाःकाञ्चनाभूत्वाविचेरुःसर्पशत्रवः ।।।।

Transliteration

te rāghavadhanur-muktā rukmapuṅkhāḥ śikhiprabhāḥ | suparṇāḥ kāñcanā bhūtvā viceruḥ sarpaśatravaḥ ||

Translation

ರಾಘವನ ಧನುಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾದ, ರುಕ್ಮಪಂಖಗಳೂ ಶಿಖಿಪ್ರಭೆಯಂತೆ ದೀಪ್ತಿಯೂಳ್ಳ ಆ ಬಾಣಗಳು ಕಂಚನ ಸುಪರ್ಣ (ಗರುಡ)ಗಳಾಗಿ ಸರ್ಪಶತ್ರುಗಳಂತೆ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ಸಂಚರಿಸಿದವು.

Word by Word

तेthey/those

राघव-धनुः-मुक्ताःreleased from Raghava’s bow

रुक्म-पुङ्खाःgold-feathered (gold-fletched)

शिखि-प्रभाःshining like peacocks (peacock-lustrous)

सुपर्णाःeagles (Garudas)

काञ्चनाःgolden

भूत्वाhaving become

विचेरुःmoved about/flew

सर्प-शत्रवःenemies of serpents

Context

By the missile discharged by Raghava those reptiles and snakes turned into golden feathered eagles and by the shine of the feathers, the reptiles flew.

Characters & Entities

Rāma (Rāghava)

Suparṇa (Garuḍa-birds)

Serpents

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as a restoring force: the right countermeasure transforms fear into protection, re-establishing safety and truth over deception.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama’s Garuḍa-missile turns his arrows into golden Garuḍa-like birds that dominate the serpent-forms.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s skilled guardianship—using power to shield and to set things right rather than to terrorize.