Shloka 24

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेवीरोलक्ष्मणस्तंविभीषणम् ।प्राणसंशयमापन्नंतूर्णमभ्यवपद्यत ।।।।

Transliteration

etasminn antare vīraḥ lakṣmaṇas taṃ vibhīṣaṇam |

prāṇasaṃśayam āpannaṃ tūṇam abhyavapadyata ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ തന്നെ, പ്രാണസംശയത്തിലായ വിഭീഷണനെ കണ്ട വീരൻ ലക്ഷ്മണൻ അവനെ രക്ഷിക്കാനായി ഉടൻ തന്നെ അവന്റെ അടുക്കൽ പാഞ്ഞെത്തി.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this (time/interval)
• एतस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• अन्तरे: in the meantime
• अन्तरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); ‘अन्तरे’ = ‘in the interval/meanwhile’

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: कर्ता (Kartā/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विभीषणम्: Vibhishana
• विभीषणम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; ‘तम् विभीषणम्’ = ‘that Vibhīṣaṇa’

• प्राणसंशयम्: danger to life
• प्राणसंशयम्: कर्म (Karma; object-complement with ‘āpanna’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa + saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive tatpuruṣa): प्राणानां संशयः = ‘doubt about life’

• आपन्नम्: having fallen into / having reached
• आपन्नम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of ‘विभीषणम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √āp + anna (धातु √आप्/आप् + क्त participle; प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त/क्तवतु-सम्भव), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘reached/entered (a state)’

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अभ्यवपद्यत: approached
• अभ्यवपद्यत: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ava-√pad (धातु √पद्)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘approached/went up to’

Context

In the meantime, seeing Vibheeshana's life in danger, heroic Lakshmana reached him and stood obstructing (the javelin).

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma as protection of one who has sought refuge and stands for truth—defending an ally at personal risk.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa is in mortal danger; Lakṣmaṇa moves quickly to interpose himself.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate bravery and loyalty to the righteous cause.