Shloka 34

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

रावणेनरणेशक्तिःक्रुद्धेनाशीविषोपमाः ।मुक्ताशूरस्यभीतस्यलक्ष्मणस्यममज्जसा ।।।।

Transliteration

rāvaṇena raṇe śaktiḥ kruddhenāśīviṣopamā | muktāśūrasya bhītasya lakṣmaṇasya mamajja sā ||

Translation

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ക്രുദ്ധനായ രാവണൻ വിട്ട ശക്തി—മാരക സർപ്പവിഷംപോലെ—ഭയമില്ലാതെ നിന്ന ലക്ഷ്മണനിൽ കുത്തിപ്പതിഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• रावणेन: by Ravana
• रावणेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तिः: the javelin
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्रुद्धेन: (by) the enraged (one)
• क्रुद्धेन: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—रावणेन (agreeing with rāvaṇena)

• आशीविषोपमा: like a venomous serpent
• आशीविषोपमा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष + उपमा (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: āśīviṣasya upamā), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—शक्तिः

• मुक्ता: released, hurled
• मुक्ता: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—शक्तिः

• शूरस्य: of the hero
• शूरस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• भीतस्य: of the frightened (one)
• भीतस्य: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—लक्ष्मणस्य

• लक्ष्मणस्य: of Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ममज्ज: pierced, sank into
• ममज्ज: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सा: that (javelin)
• सा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Context

Seeing the javelin coming towards Lakshmana, Raghava said 'May Lakshmana be auspicious. May he be well. May your attempt to kill Lakshmana be ineffective and wasted'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Lakṣmaṇa
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• āśīviṣa (venomous serpent)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown through fearlessness in duty: Lakṣmaṇa does not abandon the righteous cause even when faced with lethal force.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s spear penetrates Lakṣmaṇa during the battle, compared to the strike of serpent-venom.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s courage and steadiness under attack.