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Shloka 10

दूषणवधः

The Slaying of Dūṣaṇa and the Rout of Khara’s Host

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः।।3.26.9।।जग्राह गिरिशृङ्गाभं परिघं रोमहर्षणम्।वेष्टितं काञ्चनैः पट्टैर्देवसैन्यप्रमर्दनम्।।3.26.10।।आयसैश्शङ्कुभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कीर्णं परवसोक्षितम्।वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शं परगोपुरदारणम्।।3.26.11।।

sa cchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ |

jagrāha giriśṛṅgābhaṃ parighaṃ romaharṣaṇam |

veṣṭitaṃ kāñcanaiḥ paṭṭair devasainyapramardanam ||

āyasaiḥ śaṅkubhis tīkṣṇaiḥ kīrṇaṃ paravasokṣitam |

vajrāśanisamasparśaṃ paragopuradāraṇam ||

ധനുസ്സ് മുറിഞ്ഞ്, രഥരഹിതനായി, കുതിരകളും സാരഥിയും വധിക്കപ്പെട്ട അവൻ ഗിരിശിഖരസദൃശമായ ഭയങ്കര പരിഘം പിടിച്ചു—സ്വർണ്ണപ്പട്ടകളാൽ ബന്ധിതം, തീക്ഷ്ണമായ ഇരുമ്പുമുളകൾ പതിപ്പിച്ചത്, ശത്രുവിന്റെ രക്തം പുരണ്ടത്; വജ്രസ്പർശംപോലെ കഠിനവും ശത്രുഗോപുരം തകർക്കുന്നതുമായ, ദേവസൈന്യത്തെയും മർദ്ദിക്കുന്ന ആയുധം.

tamthat
tam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular pronoun)
mahā-uraga-saṅkāśamlike a huge serpent
mahā-uraga-saṅkāśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + uraga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: महोरगस्य सङ्काशः (like a great serpent)
pragṛhyahaving seized
pragṛhya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-grah (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive), √grah with उपसर्ग ‘pra-’; meaning: having grasped
parighamclub/bar (parigha)
parigham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootparigha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)
raṇein battle
raṇe:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)
dūṣaṇaḥDūṣaṇa
dūṣaṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular; proper noun)
abhyadravatrushed toward
abhyadravat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootabhi-dru (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; √dru (to run) with उपसर्ग ‘abhi-’
rāmamRāma
rāmam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)
krūra-karmācruel-doer
krūra-karmā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootkrūra (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: क्रूरं कर्म यस्य (one of cruel deeds)
niśācaraḥnight-roaming demon
niśācaraḥ:
Apposition (समानााधिकरण/विशेष्य)
TypeNoun
Rootniśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: निशायां चरति (night-roamer, demon)

Mighty-armed Dusana saw the army getting killed in war. He led the forces of five thousand demons, dreadfuly quick at fighting, dangeous to face and who will not beat a retreat.

D
Dūṣaṇa
P
parigha (iron club/bar)
T
thunderbolt (vajra/aśani)

FAQs

The verse underscores how adharma relies on terror and brute force; Dharma stands not on frightening instruments but on rightful cause and self-mastery.

After suffering losses (bow, chariot, horses, charioteer), Dūṣaṇa arms himself with a massive spiked parigha to continue the fight.

Perseverance is shown (though in an unrighteous cause); by contrast, the episode sets up Rāma’s righteous courage to meet escalating violence without losing moral clarity.