Shloka 10

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

तिष्ठराम मयासार्धंद्वन्द्वयुद्धंददामिते ।त्याजयिष्यामितेप्राणान् धनुर्मुक्सैशशितैश्शरैः ।।।।

Transliteration

tiṣṭha rāma mayā sārdhaṃ dvandvayuddhaṃ dadāmi te |

tyājayiṣyāmi te prāṇān dhanurmuktaiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

“ನಿಲ್ಲು, ರಾಮ! ನಿನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ದ್ವಂದ್ವಯುದ್ಧವನ್ನು ನೀಡುತ್ತೇನೆ. ನನ್ನ ಧನುಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಬಿಡುವ ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣ ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ನಿನ್ನ ಪ್ರಾಣವನ್ನು ಕಸಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವೆನು.”

Word by Word

tiṣṭhastand/stop

rāmaO Rama

mayāby/with me

sārdhamtogether/with

dvandva-yuddhamsingle combat/duel

dadāmiI give/offer

teto you

tyājayiṣyāmiI will cause (you) to give up

teyour

prāṇānlife-breaths/life

dhanur-muktaiḥreleased from (my) bow

śitaiḥsharp

śaraiḥwith arrows

Context

"Rama Stop. Duel will take place with me. I will give you sharpened arrows from my bow and relieve you of your life."

Characters & Entities

Makarākṣa

Rāma

dhanuḥ (bow)

śara (arrows)

FAQs

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

It invokes the kṣātra ideal of open challenge and direct combat (dvandva-yuddha), contrasting with deceitful violence; the dharmic frame values straightforward confrontation.

What is the narrative situation?

Makarākṣa directly calls out Rāma and proposes a duel, threatening to kill him with arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial boldness (though ethically misdirected by hostility toward a righteous hero).