Shloka 9

इन्द्रजित्-वधः

The Slaying of Indrajit

Devanagari script

स रथंभूषयित्वाथरुचिरंहेमभूषितम् ।प्रासासिशरसंयुक्तंयुक्तंपरमवाजिभिः ।।।।अधिष्ठितंहयज्ञेनसूतेनाप्तोपदेशिना ।आरुरोहमहातेजारावणिःसमतिञ्जियः ।।।।

Transliteration

sa rathaṃ bhūṣayitvātha ruciraṃ hema-bhūṣitam |

prāsa-asi-śara-saṃyuktaṃ yuktaṃ parama-vājibhiḥ ||

adhiṣṭhitaṃ haya-jñena sūtenāptopadeśinā |

āruroha mahā-tejā rāvaṇiḥ samitiñjayaḥ ||

Translation

പിന്നീട് രാവണിയുടെ പുത്രൻ—മഹാതേജസ്സും സമരവിജയിയും—സ്വർണാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിച്ച മനോഹര രഥം ശോഭിപ്പിച്ചു; അതിൽ പ്രാസം, അസി, ശരങ്ങൾ എന്നിവ സജ്ജമാക്കി, ഉത്തമ അശ്വങ്ങളാൽ യോജിപ്പിച്ചു. അശ്വവിദ്യയിലും യുക്തോപദേശത്തിലും നിപുണനായ സാരഥി അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ആ രഥത്തിൽ അവൻ आरोഹിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भूषयित्वा: having adorned
• भूषयित्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भूष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having adorned'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Desha-kala (देश-काल/Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequence particle)

• रुचिरम्: beautiful
• रुचिरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हेमभूषितम्: adorned with gold
• हेमभूषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (instrumental sense): हेमेन भूषितम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेषणम्

• प्रासासिशरसंयुक्तम्: furnished with spears, swords, and arrows
• प्रासासिशरसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रास (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वक तत्पुरुष: (प्रास+असि+शर) इति साधनैः संयुक्तम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेषणम्

• युक्तम्: yoked
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेषणम्

• परमवाजिभिः: with excellent horses
• परमवाजिभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: परमाः वाजिनः; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अधिष्ठितम्: driven/controlled
• अधिष्ठितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि-√स्था (धातु) → अधिष्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेषणम्

• हयज्ञेन: by the horse-knower
• हयज्ञेन: Kartr-sahakari (कर्ता-सहकारी/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सूतेन: by the charioteer
• सूतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आप्तोपदेशिना: giving trustworthy advice
• आप्तोपदेशिना: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदेशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: आप्तः उपदेशः यस्य/आप्तोपदेशः (reliable counsel) → आप्तोपदेशिन्; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सूतेन इति विशेषणम्

• आरुरोह: mounted
• आरुरोह: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: महत् तेजः यस्य सः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रावणिः: Ravani (son of Ravana)
• रावणिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पितृव्युत्पन्न (patronymic)

• समितिञ्जयः: victor in battle
• समितिञ्जयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिति (प्रातिपदिक) + जि (धातु) → जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: समितौ जयः यस्य सः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Ravana's son ascended a decorated chariot yoked to horses, directed by a charioteer who could tender good advice and a knower of the nature of horses. It was a beautiful chariot decked with darts and swords adorned with gold which Ravana's son of extraordinarily bright, who has won enemies, ascended.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇi (Indrajit)
• Rāvaṇa
• Ratha (chariot)
• Sūta (charioteer)
• Horses

FAQs

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

Power and preparation are ethically neutral; dharma depends on how strength is employed—here, martial excellence is shown without implying righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit prepares for combat by mounting a richly equipped chariot guided by a skilled charioteer.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and strategic readiness are emphasized, though the epic later contrasts such prowess with the moral quality of the cause.