Shloka 21

धूम्राक्षप्रेषणम्

The Dispatch of Dhūmrākṣa

Devanagari script

अभिनिष्क्रम्यतदद्वारंबलाध्यक्षमुवाचह ।त्वरयस्वबलंतूर्णंकिंचिरेणयुयुत्सतः ।।6.51.21।।

Transliteration

evam uktas tu dhūmrākṣo rākṣasendreṇa dhīmatā |

kṛtvā praṇāmaṃ saṃhṛṣṭo nirjagāma nṛpālayāt ||6.51.20||

Translation

ബുദ്ധിമാനായ രാക്ഷസേന്ദ്രൻ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, ധൂമ്രാക്ഷൻ പ്രണാമം ചെയ്തു ഹർഷത്തോടെ രാജഭവനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• abhiniṣkramya: having gone out
• abhiniṣkramya: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-nis-√kram (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वान्त/absolutive); ‘having gone out’

• tat-dvāram: that gate
• tat-dvāram: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + dvāra (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘that’ + ‘gate’)

• balādhyakṣam: the army-commander
• balādhyakṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘superintendent of the army’)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ha: indeed (narrative)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/वृत्तान्त-सूचक-अव्यय (narrative particle)

• tvarayasva: hasten
• tvarayasva: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tvar (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in usage ‘hasten (it)’

• balam: the army
• balam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tūrṇam: quickly
• tūrṇam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• kim: why?
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative used adverbially)

• cireṇa: with delay, after long
• cireṇa: Karana (करण/Instrumental-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental of time (‘with delay/after long time’)

• yuyutsataḥ: of one eager to fight
• yuyutsataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (धातु) + san (desiderative) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle) from desiderative yuyutsa-; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of (me/one) wishing to fight’ (genitive absolute-like)

Context

There after Dhumraksha went from the gateway and said to the Commander-in-Chief of the army" Get ready immediately and start quickly. Why delay?"

Characters & Entities

• Dhūmrākṣa
• Rāvaṇa
• Royal palace (nṛpālaya)

FAQs

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

The verse raises the ethical question of obedience: loyalty to a ruler is not automatically dharmic; true dharma requires aligning service with righteous ends.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Rāvaṇa’s order, Dhūmrākṣa salutes and leaves the palace to execute the command.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and readiness to act are highlighted in Dhūmrākṣa, though the epic frames such virtues as incomplete without moral alignment.