Shloka 28

खरसेनासङ्ग्रामः

The Battle with Khara’s Host at the Hermitage

Devanagari script

ते छिन्नशिरसः पेतुश्चिन्नवर्मशरासनाः।सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्ता जगत्यां पादपा यथा।।।।

Transliteration

te chinnaśirasaḥ petuś chinnavarmaśarāsanāḥ | suparṇavātavikṣiptā jagatyāṃ pādapā yathā ||

Translation

ശിരം ഛേദിക്കപ്പെട്ടും കവചവും ധനുസ്സും തകർന്നും അവർ ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണു—സുപർണന്റെ ചിറകുകളിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന കാറ്റ് തള്ളിവീഴ്ത്തിയ വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾപോലെ.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• छिन्नशिरसः: with severed heads
• छिन्नशिरसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक); छिन्नशिरस् (समस्तपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः ‘छिन्नं शिरो येषाम्’

• पेतुः: fell
• पेतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• छिन्नवर्मशरासनाः: with armour and bows broken
• छिन्नवर्मशरासनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न + वर्मन् + शरासन (प्रातिपदिक); छिन्नवर्मशरासन (समस्तपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः ‘छिन्नं वर्म च शरासनं च येषाम्’

• सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्ताः: scattered by the wind of Suparna (Garuda)
• सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपर्ण + वात + विक्षिप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्त (समस्तपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (PPP) वि-√क्षिप्; तत्पुरुषः ‘सुपर्णस्य वातेन विक्षिप्ताः’

• जगत्याम्: on the ground/earth
• जगत्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पादपाः: trees
• पादपाः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; उपमान-रूपेण

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upama-sambandha (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम् (as/just as)

Context

The heads, armour and bows fell down broken on the ground like trees in the wind gererated by Garuda's wings.

Characters & Entities

• Suparṇa (Garuḍa)
• Rāma
• rākṣasas (fallen warriors)

FAQs

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

The imagery reinforces moral causality: those who align with adharma collapse when confronted by rightful power exercised with purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

The attackers are decisively cut down; the battlefield is strewn with broken weapons and fallen bodies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s overwhelming capability—his force is portrayed as natural and irresistible, like a storm.