Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 81
अतिकायवधः
The Slaying of Atikāya
Devanagari script
ससन्धायमहातेजास्तंबाणंसहसोत्सृजत् ।।।।तेनस्सौमित्रिमायान्तमाजघानस्तनान्तरे ।
Transliteration
sa sandhāya mahātejās taṃ bāṇaṃ sahasotsṛjat | tena s saumitrim āyāntam ājaghāna stanāntare ||
Translation
ആ മഹാതേജസ്വി അമ്പ് കെട്ടി ശക്തിയായി വിട്ടു; അതുകൊണ്ട് മുന്നേറിവന്ന സൗമിത്രിയെ വക്ഷസ്ഥലത്തിന്റെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ പ്രഹരിച്ചു.
Word by Word
saḥhe
saḥ:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
sandhāyahaving aimed
sandhāya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā
TypeVerb
Rootsandhāya (कृदन्त, √dhā धातु with sam-)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्): 'having fixed/aimed (the arrow)'
mahā-tejāḥthe mighty/brilliant one
mahā-tejāḥ:
Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
TypeNoun
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: 'great-splendour (one)'
tamthat
tam:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; referring to bāṇam
bāṇamarrow
bāṇam:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootbāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
sahasāsuddenly
sahasā:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsahasā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (रीति-अव्यय) 'suddenly/forcibly'
utsṛjatreleased
utsṛjat:
Kriyā
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (धातु) with ut-
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada
tenawith that
tena:
Karaṇa
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; referring to the arrow
saḥhe
saḥ:
Kartā
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
saumitramSaumitri (Lakṣmaṇa)
saumitram:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootsaumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; epithet of Lakṣmaṇa
āyāntamapproaching
āyāntam:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa
TypeAdjective
Rootāyānt (कृदन्त, √yā धातु with ā-)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; present participle (शतृ) qualifying saumitrim
ājaghānastruck
ājaghāna:
Kriyā
TypeVerb
Root√han (धातु) with ā-
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada
stana-antarein the chest (between the breasts)
stana-antare:
Adhikaraṇa
TypeNoun
Rootstana (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'in the space between the breasts/chest'
Context
Highly energetic Atikaya, fixing another arrow released it between the breasts of Saumithri and pierced.
Characters & Entities
A
Atikāya (implied)L
Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)FAQs
Endurance in righteous struggle: Dharma is tested when harm is received; the epic highlights perseverance for a just cause despite injury.
Atikāya shoots and hits Lakṣmaṇa in the chest as Lakṣmaṇa advances.
Lakṣmaṇa’s forward resolve (in the face of danger), implied by “advancing” even under attack.