Shloka 32

विराधवधः

The Slaying (Burial) of Viradha

Devanagari script

प्रहृष्टरूपाविव रामलक्ष्मणौ विराधमुर्व्या प्रदरे निहत्य तौ।ननन्दतुर्वीतभयौ महावने शिलाभिरन्तर्दधतुश्च राक्षसम्।।।।

Transliteration

prahṛṣṭa-rūpāv iva rāma-lakṣmaṇau virādham urvyā pradare nihatya tau | nanandatur vīta-bhayau mahā-vane śilābhir antardadhatuś ca rākṣasam ||

Translation

ആനന്ദപ്രഭയോടെ തിളങ്ങുന്നവരെപ്പോലെ രാമലക്ഷ്മണർ വിരാധനെ വധിച്ച് ഭൂമിയിലെ പിളർപ്പിലേക്കെറിഞ്ഞു; മഹാവനത്തിൽ ഭയമറ്റവരായി ശിലകളാൽ ആ രാക്ഷസനെ മൂടി മറച്ചു.

Word by Word

• प्रहृष्टरूपौ: both of joyful appearance
• प्रहृष्टरूपौ: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्ट (pra-hṛṣ, धातु √हृष्) + रूप (rūpa, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; द्विवचनम् (masculine; nominative; dual)

• इव: as if / like
• इव: सम्बन्ध/उपमा (comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (avyaya)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (particle of comparison)

• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• रामलक्ष्मणौ: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (Rāma, प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष्मण (Lakṣmaṇa, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः; पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; द्विवचनम् (masculine; nominative; dual)

• विराधम्: Viradha
• विराधम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (Virādha, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; accusative; singular)

• उर्व्या: with the earth/ground
• उर्व्या: करण (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (urvī, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (feminine; instrumental; singular)

• प्रदरे: in a cleft/crevice
• प्रदरे: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदर (pradara, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; locative; singular)

• निहत्य: having slain/killed
• निहत्य: क्रियाविशेषण (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √हन् (han, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• तौ: those two / they both
• तौ: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (tad, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; द्विवचनम् (pronoun; masculine; nominative; dual)

• ननन्दतुः: rejoiced
• ननन्दतुः: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नन्द् (nand, धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः; द्विवचनम् (3rd person; dual)

• वीतभयौ: both free from fear / fearless
• वीतभयौ: कर्ता-विशेषण (qualifier of agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत (vīta, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + भय (bhaya, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (vīta-bhaya = fear removed); पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; द्विवचनम् (masculine; nominative; dual)

• महावने: in the great forest
• महावने: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (mahā, प्रातिपदिक) + वन (vana, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्गः; सप्तमी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (neuter; locative; singular)

• शिलाभिः: with rocks/stones
• शिलाभिः: करण (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (śilā, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (feminine; instrumental; plural)

• अन्तर्दधतुः: covered/placed inside; concealed
• अन्तर्दधतुः: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर् + √धा (dhā, धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः; द्विवचनम् (3rd person; dual)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (avyaya)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• राक्षसम्: the demon
• राक्षसम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (rākṣasa, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masculine; accusative; singular)

Context

Striking the demon with fists, knees and feet, both of them smit him on the bare ground and pulverized him.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Virādha
• rocks (śilā)
• great forest (mahāvana)

FAQs

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

Restoring order: removing a predatory threat is part of dharma, enabling the forest-path of the righteous to be safe again.

What is the narrative situation?

Virādha is killed/neutralized by being placed into an earth-cleft and covered with stones.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearlessness (vīta-bhaya) and completion of duty.