Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 51

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

बालस्त्वमसिसौमित्रेविक्रमेष्वविचक्षणः ।गच्छकिंकालसदृशंमांयोधयतुमिच्छसि ।।।।

Transliteration

bālas tvam asi saumitre vikrameṣv avicakṣaṇaḥ | gaccha kiṃ kālasadṛśaṃ māṃ yoddhum icchasi ||

Translation

ໂອ ສໍາມິຕຣີ, ເຈົ້າຍັງໜຸ່ມນ້ອຍ; ແມ່ນກ້າຫານແຕ່ຂາດປັນຍາໃນວິລະກຳ. ຈົ່ງກັບໄປ—ເຈົ້າເປັນຫຍັງຈຶ່ງຢາກຮົບກັບຂ້າ, ຜູ້ດຸດດັ່ງຄວາມຕາຍເອງ?

Word by Word

• बालः: a boy/young
• बालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of त्वम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (युष्मद्), Nominative, Singular

• असि: are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• सौमित्रे: O Saumitr(i)
• सौमित्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular

• विक्रमेषु: in feats of valor
• विक्रमेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural

• अविचक्षणः: undiscerning/unwise
• अविचक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; अ + विचक्षण)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of त्वम्

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

• किम्: why?
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle used adverbially (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• कालसदृशम्: like Death
• कालसदृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla-sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक; काल + सदृश)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies मां; तत्पुरुष: कालेन सदृशः

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• योधयितुम्: to fight (with)
• योधयितुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yudh (धातु)
• Form: Causative infinitive (णिच् + तुमुन्): yodhayitum = 'to make fight/ to fight with (me)'

• इच्छसि: do you wish
• इच्छसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person, Singular

Context

"O Saumithri! You are valiant but young, not able to discriminate. I am equal to the Lord of death. Why do you desire to comb at with me?"

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• Kāla (Death/Time, as comparison)

FAQs

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

The verse warns against rashness without विवेक (discernment). In dharma, courage must be guided by right judgment—not by intimidation or false assessments of self and other.

What is the narrative situation?

Atikāya taunts Lakṣmaṇa, calling him immature and urging him to withdraw, while boasting of his own death-like power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) is invoked—ironically by the boaster—setting up Lakṣmaṇa’s steadier, duty-based heroism.