Shloka 15

धूम्राक्षवधः

The Slaying of Dhumrākṣa

Devanagari script

विषण्णवदनाभूयोविप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहाः ।मूढाश्शोणितगन्धेननिपेतुर्धरणीतले ।।6.52.15।।

Transliteration

viṣaṇṇavadanā bhūyo viprakīrṇaśiroruhāḥ |

mūḍhāḥ śoṇitagandhena nipetur dharaṇītale || 6.52.15 ||

Translation

മറ്റുചിലരുടെ മുഖങ്ങൾ വിഷണ്ണമായി, മുടി ചിതറിപ്പോയി; രക്തത്തിന്റെ ദുർഗന്ധത്തിൽ ബോധം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു അവർ ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണു കിടന്നു.

Word by Word

• विषण्णवदनाः: with dejected faces
• विषण्णवदनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण (√सद्/षद् धातु-कृदन्त) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (विषण्णं वदनं येषाम्); विषण्ण = भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘dejected’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• भूयः: again / moreover
• भूयः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक/अधिक्यवाचक (again/further/more)

• विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहाः: with hair scattered/dishevelled
• विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + प्र + कीर्ण (√कॄ/कीर् धातु-कृदन्त) + शिरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः; विप्रकीर्ण = भूतकृदन्त (क्त) with उपसर्ग वि-प्र-; शिरोरुह = ‘hair’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• मूढाः: bewildered
• मूढाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (√मुह् धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त) from √मुह्; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• शोणितगन्धेन: by the smell of blood
• शोणितगन्धेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (शोणितस्य गन्धः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• निपेतुः: fell down
• निपेतुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• धरणीतले: on the ground
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (धरण्याः तलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Context

Some others with pale faces and dishevelled hair lost senses due to rolling in blood dropped on the ground.

Characters & Entities

• rākṣasas
• battlefield (dharaṇītala)

FAQs

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

A life rooted in adharma culminates in inner disintegration: when consequences arrive, the mind collapses under the weight of violence and fear.

What is the narrative situation?

The verse describes rākṣasas overwhelmed by battle—physically and mentally—fainting and falling amid bloodshed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, steadiness (dhairya) is contrasted with panic; the dharmic ideal is composure under trial.