Shloka 24

अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha)

Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47

Devanagari script

तमात्तबाणासनमाहवोन्मुखं खमास्तृणन्तं विशिखैश्शरोत्तमैः।अवैक्षताक्षं बहुमानचक्षुषा जगाम चिन्तां च स मारुतात्मजः।।5.47.24।।

Transliteration

tam ātta-bāṇāsanam āhava-unmukhaṃ kham āstṛṇantaṃ viśikhaiḥ śarottamaiḥ | avaikṣatākṣaṃ bahu-māna-cakṣuṣā jagāma cintāṃ ca sa mārutātmajaḥ ||5.47.24||

Translation

അമ്പും വില്ലും കൈയിൽ എടുത്ത് യുദ്ധത്തിന് മുന്നിൽ നിന്നുകൊണ്ട്, ഉത്തമശരങ്ങളാൽ ആകാശം നിറയ്ക്കുന്ന അക്ഷനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, വായുപുത്രനായ ഹനുമാൻ ആദരഭരിതമായ ദൃഷ്ടിയോടെ അവനെ നോക്കി; എന്നാൽ ഇനി എന്ത് ചെയ്യണമെന്ന ചിന്തയും അവനിൽ ഉദിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine pronoun)

• आत्तबाणासनम्: holding a quiver
• आत्तबाणासनम्: विशेषणम् (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्त (√दा/दा॒ धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययः; ‘taken/held’) + बाणासन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘quiver’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आत्तं बाणासनं यस्य/येन सः/तम्); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine; qualifying ‘तम्’)

• आहवोन्मुखम्: facing the battle
• आहवोन्मुखम्: विशेषणम् (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘battle’) + उन्मुख (प्रातिपदिक; ‘facing/turned towards’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आहवे उन्मुखः); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine; qualifying ‘तम्’)

• खम्: the sky
• खम्: कर्म (object of ‘आस्तृणन्तम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, neuter)

• आस्तृणन्तम्: spreading/strewing
• आस्तृणन्तम्: विशेषणम् (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √स्तॄ (स्तॄञ्, ‘to spread/strew’) (शतृ-प्रत्ययः; वर्तमान-कृदन्तः)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine; agreeing with ‘तम्’)

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख (प्रातिपदिक; ‘arrow’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, masculine)

• शरोत्तमैः: with the best missiles
• शरोत्तमैः: करण (instrument; qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘missile/arrow’) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘best’)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (उत्तमाः शराः); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, masculine); ‘विशिखैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अवैक्षत्: saw/looked at
• अवैक्षत्: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √ईक्ष् (ईक्षँ, ‘to see’) (लङ्-लकारः)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (Imperfect, 3rd person singular, active)

• अक्षम्: Aksha
• अक्षम्: कर्म (object of ‘अवैक्षत्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; अत्र ‘अक्षः’ नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine; proper noun)

• बहुमानचक्षुषा: with admiring eyes/looks
• बहुमानचक्षुषा: करण (instrument/means: ‘with an admiring look’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुमान (प्रातिपदिक; ‘admiration/respect’) + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘eye/look’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (बहुमानेन चक्षुषा/बहुमानयुक्तेन चक्षुषा); नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, neuter)

• जगाम: went/entered (into)
• जगाम: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (गमॢँ, ‘to go’) (लिट्-लकारः)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परिपूर्ण-भूतार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (Perfect, 3rd person singular, active; idiomatically ‘entered/underwent’)

• चिन्ताम्: thought/anxiety
• चिन्ताम्: कर्म (object of ‘जगाम’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, feminine)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction ‘and’)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine pronoun)

• मारुतात्मजः: the son of the Wind-god (Hanuman)
• मारुतात्मजः: कर्ता (subject; appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘Wind-god’) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘son’)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासः (मारुतस्य आत्मजः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masculine; apposition to ‘सः’)

Context

Admiring the young Aksha's appearance, his skill in holding the quiver and spreading the excellent arrows with missiles and facing the war, Hanuman became thoughtful (as to how to kill him).

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān (Mārutātmaja)
• Akṣa (Akṣakumāra)
• quiver (bāṇāsana)
• sky (kha)
• arrows (śara)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes discernment: Hanumān balances admiration for a worthy opponent with thoughtful responsibility about the necessary course of action.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān assesses Akṣa’s battle-readiness and skill, and begins considering strategy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Judiciousness—Hanumān’s capacity to evaluate, respect, and then decide rightly rather than act impulsively.