Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 36

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तदस्मिन्क्रियतांयत्नःक्षिप्रंपुरुषपुंगव ।पुरावानरसैन्यानिक्ष्यंनयतिसायकैः ।।।।

Transliteration

tad asmin kriyatāṃ yatnaḥ kṣipraṃ puruṣapuṅgava | purā vānarasainyāni kṣayaṃ nayati sāyakaiḥ ||

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ പുരുഷപുംഗവ, അവനോടു വിരുദ്ധമായി വേഗത്തിൽ ശ്രമിക്കൂ—അവൻ തന്റെ അമ്പുകളാൽ വാനരസൈന്യത്തെ നാശത്തിലേക്കു നയിക്കുന്നതിന് മുമ്പേ.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• अतिकायः: Atikaya
• अतिकायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिकाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अतिकायः)

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), अव्ययभाव (gerund): ‘having entered’

• हरिवाहिनीम्: the monkey army
• हरिवाहिनीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘हरीणां वाहिनी’

• विष्फारयामास: twanged
• विष्फारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√स्फार् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage ‘twanged/caused to resound’

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ननाद: roared/sounded
• ननाद: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb: ‘again’)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्ति-अव्यय (repetition for emphasis)

Context

"Oh, best of men! Quickly make efforts to put an end to him before he puts down Vanara army."

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Vānara-sena (monkey army)

FAQs

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

A leader’s dharma includes timely protection of allies; delay in confronting a clear danger can become a moral failure when it risks avoidable harm.

What is the narrative situation?

A warning is issued to neutralize Atikāya quickly before he devastates the vānara forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness and protective responsibility in command.