Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 38

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

सःतंदृष्टवाऽपतन्तंवैप्रहस्यरघुनन्दनः ।।।।पावकास्त्रंततोरामस्सन्दधेतुशरासने ।

Transliteration

saḥ taṁ dṛṣṭvā patantaṁ vai prahasya raghunandanaḥ | pāvakāstraṁ tato rāmaḥ sandadhe tu śarāsane ||

Translation

അവൻ പാഞ്ഞുവരുന്നതു കണ്ട രഘുനന്ദനനായ ശ്രീരാമൻ പുഞ്ചിരിച്ചു; പിന്നെ ധനുസ്സിൽ പാവകാസ്ത്രം സംധാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; refers to रामः

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of seeing (the attacker)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• पतन्तम्: falling/charging
• पतन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (पत्, धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying तम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + has (हस्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having laughed)

• रघुनन्दनः: descendant/delighter of Raghu
• रघुनन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रघोः नन्दनः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; epithet of रामः

• पावकास्त्रम्: fire-weapon (Pavaka missile)
• पावकास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पावकस्य अस्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रमवाचक

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सन्दधे: fixed/aimed (set on the bow)
• सन्दधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + dhā (धा, धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• शरासने: on the bow
• शरासने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शराणाम् आसनम् = bow), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Context

Then Rama the beloved of Raghus, laughing at Maka raksha, fixed missile presided by fire god.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Raghu dynasty
• bow (śarāsana)
• Makarākṣa (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes calm discernment: Rāma responds to violence without panic, choosing an effective means to end a threat and protect the righteous side.

What is the narrative situation?

As Makarākṣa advances, Rāma prepares a powerful divine weapon—the Fire-missile—on his bow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearlessness and clarity of judgment in crisis.