Shloka 7

अरण्यकाण्डे द्वात्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report to Rāvaṇa and the Panegyric of His Might

Devanagari script

देवासुरविमर्देषु वज्राशनिकृतव्रणम्।ऐरावतविषाणग्रैरुद्घृष्टकिणवक्षसम्।।।।

Transliteration

devāsuravimardeṣu vajrāśanikṛtavraṇam | airāvataviṣāṇagrair udghṛṣṭakiṇavakṣasam ||

Translation

ദേവാസുരസംഘർഷങ്ങളിൽ വജ്രവും അശനിയും കൊണ്ടുണ്ടായ മുറിവുകൾ അവൻ വഹിച്ചിരുന്നു; ഐരാവതത്തിന്റെ ദന്താഗ്രങ്ങൾ കുത്തിപ്പൊളിച്ച പാടുകളാൽ അവന്റെ വക്ഷസ്ഥലം കഠിനമായ കിണങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• deva-asura-vimardeṣu: in the battles of gods and demons
• deva-asura-vimardeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक) + vimarda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; तत्पुरुषः: 'in the clashes (vimarda) of gods and asuras'

• vajra-aśani-kṛta-vraṇam: wounded by thunderbolt and lightning
• vajra-aśani-kṛta-vraṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + aśani (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ) + vraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: 'having wounds (vraṇa) made (kṛta) by thunderbolt and lightning' qualifying rāvaṇam

• airāvata-viṣāṇa-agraiḥ: by the tips of Airāvata's tusks
• airāvata-viṣāṇa-agraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: airāvata (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; तत्पुरुषः: 'by the tips (agra) of the tusks (viṣāṇa) of Airāvata'

• udghṛṣṭa-kiṇa-vakṣasam: with scarred chest (from abrasion)
• udghṛṣṭa-kiṇa-vakṣasam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udghṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ud+√ghṛṣ धातु) + kiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: 'whose chest (vakṣas) has scars/calluses (kiṇa) rubbed/abraded (udghṛṣṭa)' qualifying rāvaṇam

Context

Invincible to gods, gandharvas, all living beings, great sages and seers, he was like Yama, lord of death with wide open jaws.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Devas
• Asuras
• Vajra (thunderbolt)
• Airāvata

FAQs

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

Past victories and battle-marks do not sanctify a person’s present choices. Dharma evaluates one by current conduct and restraint, not by reputation or war-record.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator continues detailing Rāvaṇa’s formidable history and body marked by cosmic battles.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance and battle-hardiness are shown, but the epic’s ethical lens implies that such traits must be governed by dharma to be truly admirable.