Shloka 25

रावणशूलप्रक्षेपः

Ravana Hurls the Trident; Rama Counters with Indra’s Javelin

Devanagari script

तान्दृष्टवाभस्मसाद्भूतान्शूलसम्स्पर्शचूर्णितान् ।सायकानन्तरिक्षस्थान् राघवःक्रोधमाहरत् ।।।।

Transliteration

tān dṛṣṭvā bhasmasād-bhūtān śūla-sparśa-cūrṇitān | sāyakān antarīkṣa-sthān rāghavaḥ krodham āharat ||

Translation

ശൂലസ്പർശത്തിൽ ചൂർണ്ണമായി ഭസ്മമായ, ആകാശത്തിൽ തന്നെ നിലകൊണ്ട തന്റെ സായകങ്ങളെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ രാഘവൻ ക്രോധം പിടിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सायकान् विशेषयति

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having seen)

• bhasma-sād-bhūtān: reduced to ashes
• bhasma-sād-bhūtān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक) + sāda (प्रातिपदिक) + √bhū (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भस्मसादं भूताः), भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सायकान् विशेषयति

• śūla-saṃsparśa-cūrṇitān: pulverized by contact with the trident
• śūla-saṃsparśa-cūrṇitān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + √cūrṇ (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शूलस्य संस्पर्शेण चूर्णिताः), भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सायकान् विशेषयति

• sāyakān: arrows
• sāyakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• antarīkṣa-sthān: situated in the sky
• antarīkṣa-sthān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antarīkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्तरिक्षे स्थिताः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सायकान् विशेषयति

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āharat: took on/was seized by
• āharat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Rama was overcome with fury on seeing his arrows being crushed to powder in the sky on touching the trident and reduced to ashes.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• śūla (trident)

FAQs

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

Dharma acknowledges righteous anger but demands governance of it. The epic treats krodha as dangerous unless directed by discernment and restrained by satya and duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma witnesses his arrows being destroyed by the trident’s power and reacts with intense anger, setting up his choice of a stronger counter-weapon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral resilience: even when anger arises, the dharmic hero must convert emotion into purposeful, controlled action rather than reckless retaliation.