Shloka 22

युद्धकाण्डे अष्टमः सर्गः — राक्षससभा-युद्धपरामर्शः

War-Council Boasts and Stratagems

Devanagari script

स्वैरंकुर्वन्तुकर्माणिभवन्तोविगतज्वराः ।।6.8.22।।एकोऽहंभक्षयिष्यामितांसर्वांहरियूथपान् ।स्वस्थाःक्रीडन्तुनिश्चिन्ताःपिबन्तुमधुवारुणीम् ।।6.8.23।।

Transliteration

svairaṃ kurvantu karmāṇi bhavanto vigatajvarāḥ ||6.8.22||

eko'haṃ bhakṣayiṣyāmi tāṃ sarvāṃ hariyūthapān |

svasthāḥ krīḍantu niścintāḥ pibantu madhuvāruṇīm ||6.8.23||

Translation

നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും ആശങ്ക വിട്ട് സ്വേച്ഛയായി നിങ്ങളുടെ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്യുക. ആ മുഴുവന്‍ വാനര-യൂഥപന്മാരെയും ഞാൻ ഒരുത്തൻ തന്നെ ഭക്ഷിക്കും. നിശ്ചിന്തരായി വിശ്രമിച്ച് കളിക്കുവിൻ; മധുരമായ വാരുണീ മദ്യം പാനം ചെയ്യുവിൻ.

Word by Word

• स्वैरम्: freely, at will
• स्वैरम्: क्रिया-विशेषण (manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे अव्ययवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: freely/at will)

• कुर्वन्तु: let (them) do
• कुर्वन्तु: क्रिया (injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कर्माणि: tasks, duties
• कर्माणि: कर्म (object of doing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भवन्तः: you (honored)
• भवन्तः: कर्ता (of कुर्वन्तु/क्रीडन्तु/पिबन्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; आदरार्थ

• विगतज्वराः: free from anxiety/fever
• विगतज्वराः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विगत + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (विगतः ज्वरः येषाम् = free from fever/anxiety)

• एकः: alone
• एकः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of अहम्)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (of भक्षयिष्यामि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भक्षयिष्यामि: I will devour/consume
• भक्षयिष्यामि: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तान्: them
• तान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of तान्/हरियूथपान्)

• हरियूथपान्: leaders of the monkey troops
• हरियूथपान्: कर्म (apposition to तान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + यूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरीणां यूथपाः = leaders of monkey-troops)

• स्वस्थाः: at ease, healthy
• स्वस्थाः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of भवन्तः)

• क्रीडन्तु: let (them) play/sport
• क्रीडन्तु: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निश्चिन्ताः: free from worry
• निश्चिन्ताः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (नास्ति चिन्ता येषाम्)

• पिबन्तु: let (them) drink
• पिबन्तु: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुवारुणीम्: sweet wine/liquor
• मधुवारुणीम्: कर्म (object of drinking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + वारुणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मधु-रूपा वारुणी = sweet liquor/wine)

Context

All of you giving up fear, do your duties freely move happily sporting and drinking sweet wine. Single handed, I will consume all the Vanara army.

Characters & Entities

• Vajrahanu
• Rāvaṇa
• Vānara host (hariyūtha)
• Wine (madhu-vāruṇī)

FAQs

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

It warns against intoxication—both literal (wine) and moral (hubris). Dharma upholds vigilance, restraint, and truthfulness, not complacent indulgence amid wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Vajrahanu boasts that he alone can destroy the vanara forces and tells others to relax and drink.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes a negative trait: reckless overconfidence and craving, which the epic treats as signs of impending downfall.