Shloka 20

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

ततस्सुदर्शनंनागंनीलजीमूतसन्निभम् ।ऐरावतकुलेजातमारुरोहमहोदरः ।।।।

Transliteration

tatas sudarśanaṃ nāgaṃ nīlajīmūtasannibham |

airāvatakule jātam āruroha mahodaraḥ ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ മഹോദരൻ ഐരാവതകുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ച, നീല മഴമേഘംപോലെ കറുത്ത ‘സുദർശന’ എന്ന ആനയെ आरोഹിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• सुदर्शनम्: Sudarsana (name)
• सुदर्शनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘आरुरोह’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु + दर्शन) (proper name)

• नागम्: elephant
• नागम्: समानााधिकरण (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘elephant’ in apposition to ‘सुदर्शनम्’

• नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्: like a dark cloud
• नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + जीमूत + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (नीलजीमूतस्य सन्निभः) qualifying ‘नागम्’

• ऐरावतकुले: in Airavata's lineage
• ऐरावतकुले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location; in lineage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ऐरावतस्य कुलम्)

• जातम्: born
• जातम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifying ‘नागम्’

• आरुरोह: mounted
• आरुरोह: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महोदरः: Mahodara
• महोदरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Context

Thereafter Mahodara mounted on an elephant born of Airavata (Indra 's elephant) family, by name Sudarsana went.

Characters & Entities

• Mahodara
• Airāvata

FAQs

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

Implicitly, the epic contrasts outer splendor with inner righteousness: martial grandeur and powerful mounts do not determine dharma; the just cause and conduct do.

What is the narrative situation?

Mahodara prepares for battle by mounting a famed elephant, signaling the rākṣasa forces’ mobilization.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śaurya (martial readiness) is displayed outwardly, though the verse itself is primarily descriptive.