Shloka 13

लङ्काप्राकारारोहणम् / Assault on Lanka’s Ramparts and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

प्रेक्षतोराक्षसेन्द्रस्यतान्यनीकानिभागशः ।राघवप्रियकामार्थंलङ्कामारुरुहुस्तदा ।।।।

Transliteration

prekṣato rākṣasendrasya tāny anīkāni bhāgaśaḥ |

rāghavapriyakāmārthaṃ laṅkām āruruhus tadā ||

Translation

രാക്ഷസേന്ദ്രൻ നോക്കി നിൽക്കേ, രാഘവനെ പ്രസന്നിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കാര്യം സാധിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച വാനരസേനയുടെ വിഭാഗങ്ങൾ അന്നു ഭാഗംഭാഗമായി ലങ്കയിലേക്കു കയറിച്ചെന്നു.

Word by Word

• प्रेक्षतः: of (him) watching
• प्रेक्षतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-īkṣ (प्र + ईक्ष् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; राक्षसेन्द्रस्य इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः: 'while (he) was watching'

• राक्षसेन्द्रस्य: of the lord of rakshasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (राक्षस) + indra (इन्द्र)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अनīkāni इति विशेषणम्

• अनीकानि: armies/forces
• अनीकानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anīka (अनीक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भागशः: in groups
• भागशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhāgaśas (भागशस् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विभागार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in divisions)

• राघवप्रियकामार्थम्: for the purpose of pleasing Raghava
• राघवप्रियकामार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (राघव) + priya (प्रिय) + kāma (काम) + artha (अर्थ)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (अर्थः: राघवस्य प्रियस्य कामस्य अर्थः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (लङ्का प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आरुरुहुः: they climbed/ascended
• आरुरुहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (आ + रुह् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (तदा अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Context

To make Rama happy, all the Vanara army divided into groups and started ascending the boundary (of Lanka) walls the king of Rakshasas was witnessing.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (rākṣasendra)
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Dharma as seva (devoted service): the vānaras act not for ego but to fulfill a righteous leader’s aim—restoring justice through loyal cooperation.

What is the narrative situation?

The vānaras, organized in units, begin scaling/entering Laṅkā’s defenses even as Rāvaṇa witnesses the assault.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bhakti-like loyalty and coordinated discipline—acting in groups for a shared dharmic goal.