Shloka 32

दूषणवधः

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

Devanagari script

तैर्भिन्नवर्माभरणाश्छिन्नभिन्नशरासनाः।निपेतुश्शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां रजनीचराः।।।।

Transliteration

tair bhinnavarmābharaṇāś chinnabhinnaśarāsanāḥ | nipetuḥ śoṇitādigdhā dharaṇyāṁ rajanīcarāḥ ||

Translation

ആ അമ്പുകളാൽ തകർന്ന രാത്രിചരന്മാർ ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണു—കവചവും ആഭരണങ്ങളും ചിതറി, വില്ലുകൾ ഒടിഞ്ഞു, ശരീരങ്ങൾ രക്തത്തിൽ ലിപ്തമായി.

Word by Word

• taiḥ: by them (by those arrows)
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhinna-varma-ābharaṇāḥ: with armor and ornaments broken
• bhinna-varma-ābharaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + varman (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (varma + ābharaṇa) + भिन्न- इति विशेषणपूर्वक; पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural) — रजनीचराः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• chinna-bhinna-śarāsanāḥ: whose bows were cut and shattered
• chinna-bhinna-śarāsanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: chinna (कृदन्त) + bhinna (कृदन्त) + śarāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (छिन्नं भिन्नं च शरासनं येषाम्/whose bows were cut and shattered); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• nipetuḥ: fell down
• nipetuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); धातु: पत् (to fall)

• śoṇita-ādigdhāḥ: smeared with blood
• śoṇita-ādigdhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक) + ādigdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तृतीया-सम्बन्ध: शोणितेन आदिग्धाः); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• dharaṇyām: on the ground
• dharaṇyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• rajanī-carāḥ: night-roamers (demons)
• rajanī-carāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक) + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध: रजनीषु चरन्ति/रजनीचराः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

With the slaughtered bodies of demons lying on the ground, the forest in a moment looked very dreadful like hell with the mud of soil soaked with flesh and blood.

Characters & Entities

• Rakshasas (rajanīcarāḥ)
• Arrows
• Battlefield

FAQs

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

Adharma meets consequence: violence and terror brought upon others return upon the perpetrators when confronted by righteous defense.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama’s arrow-strikes break the demons’ weapons and protection; they collapse across the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s disciplined effectiveness—decisive action that disables the enemy’s capacity to harm.