Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 61

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

ततश्शिरस्तेनिशितैःपातयिष्याम्यहंशरैः ।मारुतःकालसम्पक्वंवृन्तात्ताळफलंयथा ।।।।

Transliteration

tataś śiras te niśitaiḥ pātayiṣyāmy ahaṃ śaraiḥ | mārutaḥ kāla-sampakvaṃ vṛntāt tāḷa-phalaṃ yathā ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ നിശിതശരങ്ങളാൽ നിന്റെ ശിരസ്സ് വീഴ്ത്തും—കാലസമ്പക്വമായ താളഫലം കാറ്റ് കാമ്പിൽ നിന്ന് വീഴ്ത്തുന്നതുപോലെ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive: your)

• niśitaiḥ: sharp
• niśitaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to śaraiḥ)

• pātayiṣyāmi: I will make fall / strike down
• pātayiṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु) with णिच् (causative)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (to cause to fall)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• mārutaḥ: wind
• mārutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māruta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kāla-sampakvam: ripened by time
• kāla-sampakvam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + sampakva (कृदन्त, √pac धातु with sam-)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कालेन सम्पक्वम् = कालेन परिपक्वम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to tāḷaphalam)

• vṛntāt: from the stalk
• vṛntāt: Apadana (अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛnta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative: from the stalk)

• tāḷa-phalam: palm fruit
• tāḷa-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāḷa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (ताळस्य फलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

Context

"Then I will strike down his head with sharp arrows and throw him just as ripened palm fruit drops in the process of time."

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Atikāya
• wind (māruta)
• arrows

FAQs

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

A righteous warrior’s resolve is firm and purposeful; Dharma in battle is expressed through unwavering commitment to defeat adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa declares his intent to slay Atikāya, using a vivid simile to convey inevitability and precision.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Determination (dṛḍha-niścaya) and martial competence—Lakṣmaṇa speaks with controlled certainty rather than empty threat.