Shloka 53

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यंपातयामासुःपरस्परजयैषिणः ।।।।रिपुशोणितदिग्धाङ्गास्तत्रवानरराक्षसाः

Transliteration

anyonyaṃ pātayāmāsuḥ paraspara-jayaiṣiṇaḥ |

ripu-śoṇita-digdhāṅgās tatra vānara-rākṣasāḥ ||

Translation

അവിടെ വാനരന്മാരും രാക്ഷസന്മാരും ശത്രുക്കളുടെ രക്തം പുരണ്ട അവയവങ്ങളോടെ, പരസ്പരം ജയിക്കണമെന്ന ആഗ്രഹത്തോടെ, ഒരുത്തനെ മറ്റൊരുത്തൻ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും നിലത്തേക്ക് തള്ളിവീഴ്ത്തുകയായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Reciprocal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (reciprocal adverbial accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; परस्परार्थे

• पातयामासुः: made fall/struck down
• पातयामासुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative), लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• परस्पर-जय-एषिणः: seeking mutual victory
• परस्पर-जय-एषिणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परस्पर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + जय (प्रातिपदिक) + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ('seeking victory over each other'), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to वानरराक्षसाः

• रिपु-शोणित-दिग्ध-अङ्गाः: with limbs smeared with foes' blood
• रिपु-शोणित-दिग्ध-अङ्गाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक) + दिग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from दिह्) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि ('whose limbs are smeared with enemy-blood'), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to वानरराक्षसाः

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• वानर-राक्षसाः: Vanaras and Rakshasas
• वानर-राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व ('monkeys and Rakshasas'), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

Their limbs stained with the blood of foes, both Vanaras and Rakshasas eager to conquer one another started striking one another.

Characters & Entities

• Vanaras
• Rākṣasas
• Blood (śoṇita)
• Battlefield (implicit)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how the desire to conquer can consume all sides; Dharma, by contrast, demands that victory be sought only for justice, not for hatred or mere domination.

What is the narrative situation?

Both armies, bloodied and relentless, repeatedly knock each other down in a chaotic melee.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Titikṣā (endurance) amid suffering—though the verse also warns of the moral danger of unchecked victory-lust.