Shloka 29

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

एषातेहृदयंभित्त्वाशक्तिर्लोहितलक्षणा ।मद्भाहुपरिघोत्सृष्टाप्राणानादाययास्यति ।।।।

Transliteration

eṣā te hṛdayaṃ bhittvā śaktir lohitalakṣaṇā |

madbāhuparighotsṛṣṭā prāṇān ādāya yāsyati ||

Translation

ചുവന്ന അടയാളമുള്ള ഈ ശക്തി, എന്റെ പരിഘസമമായ ഭുജം എറിഞ്ഞത്, നിന്റെ ഹൃദയം തുളച്ച് നിന്റെ പ്രാണനെ അപഹരിച്ച് പോകും.

Word by Word

• एषा: this (she/it)
• एषा: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: कर्म (Karma; object of ‘bhittvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भित्त्वा: having pierced
• भित्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhid (धातु √भिद्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund), ‘having pierced/split’

• शक्तिः: javelin
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोहितलक्षणा: red-marked / blood-red
• लोहितलक्षणा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of ‘śaktiḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lohita + lakṣaṇā (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: लोहितं लक्षणं यस्याः = ‘having a red mark/appearance’

• मद्भाहुपरिघोत्सृष्टा: hurled by my arm (like a club)
• मद्भाहुपरिघोत्सृष्टा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of ‘śaktiḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad + bāhu + parigha + utsṛṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘utsṛṣṭā’; समासार्थः: मद्भाहु-परिघेण उत्सृष्टा = ‘released by my arm like a club/bar’ (instrumental sense within compound)

• प्राणान्: life-breaths
• प्राणान्: कर्म (Karma; object of ‘ādāya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• आदाय: taking away
• आदाय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु √दा ‘to take’)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund), ‘having taken away’

• यास्यति: will go / will depart (i.e., will take away)
• यास्यति: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु √या)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

"This javelin released by my bludgeon-like arm will pierce your heart and take away your life."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Lakṣmaṇa
• śakti (spear/javelin)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how adharma escalates into life-taking intent; dharma stands opposed to such prideful, cruel resolve.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa explicitly threatens Lakṣmaṇa with a lethal spear-strike aimed at the heart.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively, it emphasizes Rāvaṇa’s arrogance and violent intent; by implication, it sets the stage for Lakṣmaṇa’s steadfast resistance.