Shloka 21

युद्धाय रावणस्य निर्याणं तथा उत्पातदर्शनम्

Ravana’s Mobilization for War and the ظهور of Fatal Portents

Devanagari script

कल्प्यतांमेरथंशीघ्रंक्षिप्रमानीयतांधनुः ।अनुप्रयान्तुमांयुद्धेयेऽत्रशिष्टानिशाचराः ।।6.96.21।।

Transliteration

kalpyatāṁ me rathaṁ śīghraṁ kṣipram ānīyatāṁ dhanuḥ |

anuprayāntu māṁ yuddhe ye ’tra śiṣṭā niśācarāḥ ||6.96.21||

Translation

എന്റെ രഥം ഉടൻ ഒരുക്കുക; എന്റെ ധനുസ്സും വേഗത്തിൽ കൊണ്ടുവരിക. ഇവിടെ ശേഷിക്കുന്ന ശിഷ്ടനായ നിശാചരന്മാർ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ എന്നെ അനുഗമിക്കട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• कल्प्यताम्: let (it) be prepared
• कल्प्यताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kḷp (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ) प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (let it be made ready)

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• क्षिप्रम्: swiftly
• क्षिप्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय

• आनीयताम्: let (it) be brought
• आनीयताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: लोट् प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (let it be brought)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (nominative singular; subject of ānīyatām)

• अनुप्रयान्तु: let (them) follow
• अनुप्रयान्तु: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√pra-yā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्

• ये: who
• ये: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (relative pronoun)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• शिष्टाः: remaining, surviving
• शिष्टाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śiṣ (धातु) → śiṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying niśācarāḥ)

• निशाचराः: night-rangers (rakshasas)
• निशाचराः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक) + cara (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

Context

"Let my chariot and bow be ready and brought here. Let the night rangers who survived follow me."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Ratha (chariot)
• Dhanuḥ (bow)
• Niśācara (Rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

Leadership carries responsibility: calling followers to war must be guided by righteous purpose (Dharma). The epic context critiques mobilization driven by ego and adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa issues immediate military orders: prepare his chariot and bow and have the remaining Rākṣasas accompany him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Command and decisiveness are shown, but in the Ramayana’s moral arc these qualities must be subordinated to Satya and Dharma to be virtuous.