Shloka 23

अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha)

Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47

Devanagari script

स तान्शरांस्तस्य हरिर्विमोक्षयंश्चचार वीरः पथि वायुसेविते।शरान्तरे मारुतवद्विनिष्पतन्मनोजवस्संयति चण्डविक्रमः।।5.47.23।।

Transliteration

sa tāñ śarāṃs tasya harir vimokṣayaṃś cacāra vīraḥ pathi vāyu-sevite | śarāntare mārutavad viniṣpatan mano-javaḥ saṃyati caṇḍa-vikramaḥ ||5.47.23||

Translation

ആ വീരനായ ഹരിയായ ഹനുമാൻ അവന്റെ അമ്പുകളെ വ്യർത്ഥമാക്കി, കാറ്റ് സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ആകാശപഥത്തിലൂടെ നീങ്ങി; അമ്പുകളുടെ ഇടവേളകളിലൂടെ കാറ്റുപോലെ വഴുതി പുറപ്പെട്ടു—മനോവേഗനും യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ചണ്ഡവിക്രമനും ആയവൻ।

Word by Word

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तान्: those
• तान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive, Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• हरिः: Hanuman (the monkey-hero)
• हरिः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• विमोक्षयन्: releasing / letting go
• विमोक्षयन्: कर्ता (Agent; participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु) → विमोक्षयत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Present active participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• चचार: moved about / roamed
• चचार: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (Perfect, Active, 3rd person singular)

• वीरः: hero
• वीरः: कर्ता (Agent; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेष्य-समनाधिकरणम् (in apposition to subject)

• पथि: on the path / in the way
• पथि: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• वायुसेविते: in the wind-swept (path/sky)
• वायुसेविते: अधिकरण (Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु + सेवित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय) [सेव् (धातु)]
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter agreement by context; here Locative Singular, Neuter implied with 'पथि'); क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle) विशेषणम्

• शरान्तरे: in the interval between arrows
• शरान्तरे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• मारुतवत्: like the wind
• मारुतवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मारुत + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययवत्-उपमान)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमानार्थक-निपात/तद्धितान्त-प्रयोगः (indeclinable of comparison: 'like')

• विनिष्पतन्: darting forth / emerging
• विनिष्पतन्: कर्ता (Agent; participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + √पत् (धातु) → विनिष्पतत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Present active participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मनोजवः: one with mind-like speed
• मनोजवः: कर्ता (Agent; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् + जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेष्य-समनाधिकरणम् (apposition to subject)

• संयति: in battle
• संयति: अधिकरण (Context/location: in battle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयत्/संयति (प्रातिपदिक; 'battle')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• चण्डविक्रमः: of fierce valor
• चण्डविक्रमः: कर्ता (Agent; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चण्ड + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying the subject)

Context

Dodging like the wind between the arrows and also escaping the arrows Hanuman, who was swift in movement like the mind, was seen exhibiting his terrific valour in the battle while he moved in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Akṣa (implied)
• arrows (śara)
• wind (māruta/vāyu)
• sky (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma in conflict includes mastery over impulse: Hanumān’s restraint and precision show that righteous strength is guided by intelligence, not mere fury.

What is the narrative situation?

In midair combat, Hanumān evades Akṣa’s volleys by moving through the gaps between arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Skillful self-control—speed, awareness, and tactical movement under pressure.