Shloka 13

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

तंप्रस्थितंमहात्मानमनुजग्मुर्महाबलाः ।सम्हर्षमाणाबहनोधनुष्प्रवरपाणयः ।।6.73.10।।गजस्कन्धगताःकेचित्केचित्प्रवरवाजिभिः ।व्याघ्रवृश्चिकमार्जारखरोरोष्ट्रैश्चभुजङ्गमैः ।।6.73.11।।वराहैश्श्वापदैस्सिंहैर्जम्बुकैःपर्वतोपमैः ।काकहंसमयूरैश्चराक्षसाभीमविक्रमाः ।।6.73.12।।प्रासमुद्गरनिस्त्रिंशपरश्वथगदाधराः ।भुशुण्डिमुद्गरायष्टिशतघ्नीपरिघायुधा ।।6.73.13।।

Transliteration

prāsa-mudgara-nistriṃśa-paraśvatha-gadā-dharāḥ | bhuśuṇḍi-mudgara-āyaṣṭi-śataghnī-parighāyudhāḥ ||

Translation

അവർ പ്രാസം, മുദ്ഗരം, നിസ്ത്രിംശം (ഖഡ്ഗം), പരശു, ഗദ എന്നിവ വഹിച്ചു; കൂടാതെ ഭൂശുണ്ഡി, മുദ്ഗരായഷ്ടി, ഇരുമ്പുദണ്ഡം, ശതഘ്നി, പരിഘം തുടങ്ങിയ ആയുധങ്ങളാലും സജ്ജരായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• प्रास-मुद्गर-निस्त्रिंश-परश्वथ-गदा-धराः: bearing spears, hammers, swords, axes and maces
• प्रास-मुद्गर-निस्त्रिंश-परश्वथ-गदा-धराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रास (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक) + निस्त्रिंश (प्रातिपदिक) + परश्वथ/परश्वध (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; धर = ण्वुल्/अच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक (bearer/wielder), बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (X-धरा: bearing spears, hammers, swords, axes, maces), विशेषणम् (of राक्षसाः understood)

• भुशुण्डि-मुद्गर-आयष्टि-शतघ्नी-परिघ-आयुधाः: armed with bhusuṇḍis, mallets, iron staves, sataghnis and clubs
• भुशुण्डि-मुद्गर-आयष्टि-शतघ्नी-परिघ-आयुधाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुशुण्डि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक) + आयष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + शतघ्नी (प्रातिपदिक) + परिघ (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—एतेषां आयुधानि येषाम् (whose weapons are bhusuṇḍis, mallets, iron staves, sataghnis, and clubs), विशेषणम्

Context

Many Rakshasas of terrific valour, endowed with extraordinary strength, happily, wielding excellent bows, taking barbed missiles, hammers, whetted axes, maces, Bhusandi mallets, Ayasthis, Sataghnis, and Parighas, making noise, went following great Indrajith. Some went on the back of elephants and horses, tigers as large as mountains, scorpions, cats, donkeys, and camels. As well as on serpents, lions, tigers, and jackals.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• śataghnī
• parigha

FAQs

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

The verse underscores that capability is morally neutral: dharma judges not the sophistication of weapons but the justice of the cause and restraint in violence.

What is the narrative situation?

A detailed list of armaments depicts the scale and menace of the forces accompanying Indrajit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial preparedness and intimidation; in the Ramayana’s ethical frame, such power becomes meaningful only when governed by righteousness.