Shloka 22

धूम्राक्षवधः

The Slaying of Dhumrākṣa

Devanagari script

विभिन्नहृदयाःकेचिदेकपार्श्वेनदारिताः ।विदारितास्त्रिशूलैश्चकेचिदान्स्रैर्विनिःसृताः ।।6.52.22।।

Transliteration

bhinnahṛdayāḥ kecid ekapārśvena dāritāḥ | vidāritās triśūlaiś ca kecid āṃsrair viniḥsṛtāḥ ||6.52.22||

Translation

ചിലരുടെ ഹൃദയം പിളർന്നു; ചിലർ ഒരു വശം മുഴുവൻ കീറപ്പെട്ടു; ചിലർ ത്രിശൂലപ്രഹരത്തിൽ പിളർന്ന് അവരുടെ ആന്ത്രങ്ങൾ പുറത്തേക്ക് ഒഴുകി.

Word by Word

विभिन्न-हृदयाःwith hearts split open

केचित्some

एक-पार्श्वेनon one side

दारिताःwere torn

विदारिताःwere ripped open

त्रिशूलैःwith tridents

चand

केचित्some

आन्त्रैःwith entrails

विनिःसृताःhad come out/protruded

Context

Some with their hearts open and broken, beaten on side laid detached of their inner parts.

Characters & Entities

Vānara (Vanaras)

Rākṣasa (Rakshasas)

FAQs

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

By portraying the horror of violence, the text implicitly teaches that war is never to be desired for its own sake; dharma may require war, but it never glorifies cruelty.

What is the narrative situation?

The verse describes extreme battlefield injuries from tridents and heavy strikes, emphasizing the intensity of the clash.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The emphasis is indirect: the necessity of moral seriousness (viveka) about the consequences of conflict.