Shloka 28

रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana

Brahmāstra Discharge

Devanagari script

निपपातान्तरिक्षाच्चपुष्पवृष्टिस्तदाभुवि ।किरन्तीराघवरथंदुरवापामनोहरा ।।।।

Transliteration

nipapātāntarikṣāc ca puṣpavṛṣṭis tadā bhuvi |

kirantī rāghavarathaṃ duravāpā manoharā ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ആകാശത്തിൽ നിന്നു ഭൂമിയിലേക്കു മനോഹരമായ പുഷ്പവൃഷ്ടി വീണു; അപൂർവവും അത്ഭുതകരവുമായ ആ പുഷ്പധാര രാഘവന്റെ രഥത്തിന്മേൽ ചിതറി അതിനെ മൂടി.

Word by Word

• nipapāta: fell down
• nipapāta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु) + ni- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• antarikṣāt: from the sky
• antarikṣāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarikṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• puṣpa-vṛṣṭiḥ: a shower of flowers
• puṣpa-vṛṣṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'पुष्पाणां वृष्टिः' (shower of flowers); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• bhuvi: on the earth
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक: bhūmi)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन

• kirantī: scattering, showering
• kirantī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṝ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुष्पवृष्टेः विशेषणम्

• rāghava-ratham: Rama's chariot
• rāghava-ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'राघवस्य रथम्' (Raghava's chariot); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• duravāpā: hard to obtain/rare
• duravāpā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur- (उपसर्ग) + āp (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle, क्त) with दुर्गति-उपपद; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुष्पवृष्टेः विशेषणम्

• manoharā: delightful
• manoharā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'मनः हरति' (charming); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुष्पवृष्टेः विशेषणम्

Context

Then from heaven, a very pleasing shower of flowers, difficult to know from where, fell on Raghava's chariot covering it and dropped on the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• ratha (chariot)
• antarikṣa (sky)
• puṣpa (flowers)

FAQs

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

The shower of flowers symbolizes honor bestowed on dharmic action—righteous victory is celebrated without cruelty or deceit.

What is the narrative situation?

A celestial shower of flowers descends and covers Rāma’s chariot after the victory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Merit earned through adherence to satya and dharma—recognition comes as a result of right conduct.