Shloka 28

इन्द्रजित्-वधः

The Slaying of Indrajit

Devanagari script

तानप्राप्तान् शितैर्भाणैश्चिच्छेदपरवीरहा ।सारथेरस्य च रणेरथिवोरघुसत्तमः ।।।।शिरोजहारधर्मात्माभल्लेनानतपर्वणा ।

Transliteration

tān aprāptān śitair bhāṇaiś ciccheda paravīrahā | sārather asya ca raṇe rathino raghusattamaḥ | śiro jahāra dharmātmā bhallena ānataparvaṇā ||

Translation

അമ്പുകൾ എത്തുന്നതിന് മുമ്പേ പരവീരഹനായ ലക്ഷ്മണൻ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ അവയെ മുറിച്ചുതള്ളി; പിന്നെ ധർമ്മാത്മാവായ രഘുശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ആ രഥയോദ്ധാവിന്റെ സാരഥിയുടെ തല വളയാത്ത സന്ധികളുള്ള ഭല്ലശരത്തോടെ വെട്ടിക്കളഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• सूताः: charioteers
• सूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; refers to sūtāḥ/hayāḥ contextually

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऊहुः: drove, carried
• ऊहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Plural; parasmaipada; 'carried/drove'

• अविक्लबाः: unperplexed
• अविक्लबाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-viklaba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifies sūtāḥ/hayāḥ: 'unconfused, steady'

• मण्डलानि: circles
• मण्डलानि: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; used adverbially: 'in circles'

• अभिधावन्तः: rushing/moving forward
• अभिधावन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with sūtāḥ/hayāḥ

• तत्: that (sight)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, comparison particle

• अभवत्: was, became
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular

Context

Heroic enemy, the righteous Lakshmana, tore the head of the car-warrior as well as the charioteer in the battle with bhala (spear), even before Indrajith discharged pointed arrows at him.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Indrajit (implied chariot-warrior)
• Charioteer
• Bhalla (broad-headed arrow)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as protective mastery: skill is used to neutralize harm (cutting down incoming arrows) and to decisively disable the opponent’s war-capability.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa intercepts the incoming arrows mid-flight and then kills the charioteer with a bhalla, disrupting the enemy chariot’s functioning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alertness and precision—swift judgment joined to effective action.