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Shloka 25

Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him

वक्ष:स्थलस्पर्शरुग्नमहेन्द्रवाह- दन्तैर्विडम्बितककुब्जुष ऊढहासम् । सद्योऽसुभि: सह विनेष्यति दारहर्तु- र्विस्फूर्जितैर्धनुष उच्चरतोऽधिसैन्ये ॥ २५ ॥

vakṣaḥ-sthala-sparśa-rugna-mahendra-vāha- dantair viḍambita-kakubjuṣa ūḍha-hāsam sadyo ’subhiḥ saha vineṣyati dāra-hartur visphūrjitair dhanuṣa uccarato ’dhisainye

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ രാവണന്റെ വക്ഷസ്ഥലത്തിൽ ഇടിച്ച് ഇന്ദ്രവാഹനമായ ഐരാവതത്തിന്റെ ദന്തങ്ങൾ തകർന്നു ചിതറിപ്പോയി; ആ ഖണ്ഡങ്ങൾ ദിക്കുകളെ പ്രകാശിപ്പിച്ചു. അതിനാൽ രാവണൻ അഹങ്കരിച്ച്, താനേ സർവ്വദിക്കുജയിയെന്നപോലെ, സൈന്യത്തിനിടയിൽ ചിരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് അലഞ്ഞു; എന്നാൽ ഭഗവാൻ രാമചന്ദ്രന്റെ ധനുസ്സിന്റെ ഗർജ്ജനമയമായ ടങ്കാരം ഉയർന്നതോടെ അവന്റെ ചിരിയും പ്രാണനും ക്ഷണത്തിൽ അവസാനിച്ചു.

vakṣaḥ-sthala-sparśa-rugna-mahendra-vāha-dantaiḥwith the tusks of Indra’s mount, injured by contact with (his) chest
vakṣaḥ-sthala-sparśa-rugna-mahendra-vāha-dantaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootvakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rugna (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + mahendra (प्रातिपदिक) + vāha (प्रातिपदिक) + danta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa chain; head: dantaiḥ; vigraha: mahendrasya vāhasya (airāvatasya) dantāḥ, ye vakṣaḥ-sthala-sparśena rugnāḥ
viḍambita-kakubjuṣaḥof (him) whose hump/shoulder was disfigured
viḍambita-kakubjuṣaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootviḍambita (कृदन्त, √ḍamb/vi-ḍamb) + kakubjū (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifying dāra-hartuḥ; 'of the one whose hump/shoulder-region was mocked/deformed'
ūḍha-hāsam(him) with a broad/loud laugh
ūḍha-hāsam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootūḍha (कृदन्त, √vah) + hāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ūḍhaḥ hāsaḥ yasya tam
sadyaḥimmediately
sadyaḥ:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsadyaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
asubhiḥwith (his) lives/breaths
asubhiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
TypeNoun
Rootasu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
sahatogether with
saha:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsaha (अव्यय)
FormPreposition-like indeclinable (सह-अव्यय) expressing accompaniment
vineṣyatiwill destroy/dispatch
vineṣyati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnī (धातु) with vi- (उपसर्ग)
FormLuṭ (Simple Future/लुट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular; causative sense not intended; 'will lead to destruction/remove'
dāra-hartuḥof the wife-stealer
dāra-hartuḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdāra (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक from √hṛ)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: dārān harati iti
visphūrjitaiḥby the resounding twangs
visphūrjitaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootvisphūrjita (कृदन्त from √sphūrj with vi-)
FormNeuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; used as 'by the twangs/roars'
dhanuṣaḥof the bow
dhanuṣaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
uccarataḥof (him) shouting/uttering
uccarataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeVerb
Rootuccar (धातु)
FormŚatṛ (Present active participle/शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; 'of (him) uttering/raising' (agreeing with dāra-hartuḥ)
adhisainyein/over the army
adhisainye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootadhi (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; avyayībhāva: adhi sainye = 'over/among the army'

However powerful a living being may be, when he is condemned by God no one can save him, and, similarly, however weak one may be, if he is protected by the Lord no one can annihilate him.

Ś
Śrī Rāma
R
Rāvaṇa
I
Indra
A
Airāvata

FAQs

This verse foretells that the Lord, as Śrī Rāma, will destroy Rāvaṇa—the abductor of another’s wife—swiftly, while His bowstring resounds amid the enemy army.

It poetically depicts the Lord’s overwhelming prowess: even the mighty Airāvata’s tusks are broken upon His chest, and the Lord laughs—showing the enemy’s power is insignificant before Him.

It reinforces dharma: wrongdoing—especially exploitation and violation of others—ultimately meets divine justice, while surrender to the Lord’s protection strengthens moral courage.