Shloka 56

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

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

Devanagari script

तेकेवलंसन्ददृशुशशिताग्रान्बाणान्रणेवानरवाहिनीषु ।मायानिगूढंतुसुरेन्द्रशत्रुं न चावृतंराक्षसमभ्यपश्यन् ।।।।

Transliteration

te kevalaṃ sandadṛśuḥ śaśitāgrān bāṇān raṇe vānaravāhinīṣu |

māyānigūḍhaṃ tu surendraśatruṃ na cāvṛtaṃ rākṣasam abhyapaśyan ||

Translation

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ വാനരസൈന്യം കണ്ടത് ചന്ദ്രശിഖരസമമായ തീക്ഷ്ണാഗ്രബാണങ്ങൾ മാത്രം പെയ്യുന്നതായിരുന്നു; മായയിൽ മറഞ്ഞ സുരേന്ദ്രശത്രുവായ രാക്ഷസനെ അവർ കണ്ടില്ല, എങ്കിലും അസ്ത്രങ്ങൾ അവരെ തട്ടി വീണു.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural, masc.)

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: क्रियाविशेषणम् (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• सन्ददृशुः: saw
• सन्ददृशुः: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम् (3rd pl.)

• शशि-ताग्रान्: moon-white-pointed / bright-tipped
• शशि-ताग्रान्: विशेषणम् (Adjectival to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शशि (प्रातिपदिक) + ताग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.); विशेषणम् (of बाणान्)

• बाणान्: arrows
• बाणान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: अधिकरणम् (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular, neut.)

• वानर-वाहिनीषु: among the Vanara troops
• वानर-वाहिनीषु: अधिकरणम् (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-बहुवचनम् (Locative plural, fem.)

• माया-निगूढम्: hidden by magic
• माया-निगूढम्: विशेषणम् (Adjectival to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + निगूढ (गुह् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; उपसर्गः नि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masc.); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); विशेषणम् (of सुरेन्द्रशत्रुम्)

• तु: but
• तु: अव्यय-सम्बन्धः (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (contrastive particle)

• सुरेन्द्र-शत्रुम्: enemy of Indra
• सुरेन्द्र-शत्रुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masc.)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• आवृतम्: covered / concealed
• आवृतम्: विशेषणम् (Adjectival to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masc.); विशेषणम् (of राक्षसम्)

• राक्षसम्: the Rakshasa
• राक्षसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masc.)

• अभ्यपश्यन्: they saw
• अभ्यपश्यन्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम् (3rd pl.); छन्दसि ‘अभ्यपश्यन्’ = ‘अभ्यपश्यन्/अपश्यन्’

Context

The Vanara troops saw only the sharp pointed arrows covering them. They could not see the enemy of Indra being concealed by magical power.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (enemy of Indra)
• Vanara army (vānaravāhinī)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the importance of satya (truth/visibility) in righteous struggle: when the aggressor is hidden by māyā, the fight becomes ethically distorted.

What is the narrative situation?

The Vanaras experience an invisible barrage; they perceive the arrows but cannot locate Indrajit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The Vanaras’ alertness and perseverance are shown as they try to understand and respond despite confusion.