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Shloka 14

मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्

The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury

तेकामरूपिणस्सरेदंष्ट्रिणःपिङ्गलेक्षणा ।मातङ्गाइवनर्दन्तोध्वस्तकेशाभयावहाः ।।।।परिवार्यमहाकायामहाकायंखरात्मजम् ।अभिजघ्नुस्ततोहृष्टाश्चालयन्तोवसुन्धराम् ।।।।

te kāmarūpiṇaḥ krūrā daṃṣṭriṇaḥ piṅgalekṣaṇāḥ | mātaṅgā iva nardanto dhvastakeśā bhayāvahāḥ | parivārya mahākāyā mahākāyaṃ kharātmajam | abhijaghnus tato hṛṣṭāś cālayanto vasundharām ||

ആ ക്രൂരരായ കാമരൂപികൾ, ദംഷ്ട്രകളുള്ളവർ, പിംഗളനേത്രന്മാർ—ആനകളെപ്പോലെ ഗർജ്ജിച്ചു, ചിതറിയ മുടിയോടെ ഭയാനക രൂപങ്ങളായി—മഹാകായനായ ഖരപുത്രൻ മഹാകായ മകരാക്ഷനെ ചുറ്റിനിന്നു. പിന്നെ ഹർഷത്തോടെ ഭൂമിയെ കുലുക്കിക്കൊണ്ട് അവർ മുന്നോട്ട് പാഞ്ഞുചെന്നു.

तेthey
ते:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
कामरूपिणःshape-shifting at will
कामरूपिणः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootकामरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक: काम + रूपिन्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कामेन रूपं यस्य/यः) ‘at-will form-changing’
सरेदंष्ट्रिणःwith fearsome fangs
सरेदंष्ट्रिणः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootसरेदंष्ट्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक: स + रेदंष्ट्रिन्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (रेदंष्ट्राः सन्ति येषाम्) ‘having protruding/terrible fangs’
पिङ्गलेक्षणाःyellow-eyed
पिङ्गलेक्षणाः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootपिङ्गलेक्षण (प्रातिपदिक: पिङ्गल + ईक्षण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पिङ्गले ईक्षणे यस्य) ‘yellow/brown-eyed’
मातङ्गाःelephants
मातङ्गाः:
Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootमातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
इवlike
इव:
Upama-sambandha (उपमा/Comparison marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)
नर्दन्तःroaring
नर्दन्तः:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent participle)
TypeVerb
Rootनर्द् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘roaring’
ध्वस्तकेशाःdishevelled-haired
ध्वस्तकेशाः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootध्वस्तकेश (प्रातिपदिक: ध्वस्त + केश)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (ध्वस्ताः केशाः येषाम्) ‘with dishevelled hair’
भयावहाःterrifying
भयावहाः:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootभयावह (प्रातिपदिक: भय + आवह)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भयं आवहन्ति) ‘bringing fear’

Those who could change their form at will, cruel, with protruding teeth, yellow eyes, dishevelled hair, of frightful appearance, huge like elephants surrounding the son of Khara went joyously forward shaking the earth.

R
Rākṣasas (Niśācarāḥ)
M
Makarākṣa
K
Khara
E
Earth (Vasundharā)
E
Elephants (mātaṅga) (simile)

FAQs

The verse depicts adharma’s aesthetic: cruelty, terror, and delight in intimidation. Dharma, by contrast, is associated with inner order—self-restraint, truthfulness, and protection rather than fear-making.

Rākṣasa troops gather around Makarākṣa and march out in force, described with frightening physical and acoustic imagery.

The implied virtue for the dharmic side is fearlessness rooted in righteousness: standing firm when confronted by intimidation and overwhelming spectacle.