Shloka 23

युद्धाय रावणस्य निर्याणं तथा उत्पातदर्शनम्

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

Devanagari script

बलाध्यक्षास्तुसम्रब्दाराक्षसांस्तान् गृहेगृहे ।चोदयन्तःपरिययुर्लङ्कांलघुपराक्रमाः ।।6.96.23।।

Transliteration

balādhyakṣās tu samrabdhā rākṣasāṁs tān gṛhe gṛhe |

codayantaḥ pariyayur laṅkāṁ laghu-parākramāḥ ||6.96.23||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സേനാധിപന്മാർ അതിവേഗം പ്രവർത്തിച്ച് ലങ്കയിൽ വീടുവീടായി ചുറ്റി, ആ രാക്ഷസന്മാരെ ഉണർത്തി കൂട്ടിച്ചേർക്കാൻ പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• बलाध्यक्षाः: army-commanders
• बलाध्यक्षाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक) + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle)

• सम्रब्धाः: agitated, in haste
• सम्रब्धाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√rabh (धातु) → samrabdha (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• राक्षसान्: rakshasas
• राक्षसान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्

• तान्: those
• तान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्

• गृहे: in a house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावार्थे पुनरुक्तिः (locative; in each)

• गृहे: in (every) house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्तिः (gṛhe gṛhe = house to house)

• चोदयन्तः: urging, rousing
• चोदयन्तः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cud (धातु) → codayant (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• परिययुः: went around
• परिययुः: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ्-रूपसदृशम्; अत्र लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत) प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (they went about)

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• लघु-पराक्रमाः: swift/quick in valor
• लघु-पराक्रमाः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying balādhyakṣāḥ)

Context

"Let the army leaders of mighty valour go hurriedly to search in every house in Lanka for Rakshasas."

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Collective action and civic mobilization are powerful; Dharma requires they be used for protection and justice, not for sustaining wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Following orders, commanders canvass Laṅkā, going door to door to gather and spur the Rākṣasa fighters.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Efficiency and readiness—qualities of organized forces—presented neutrally but situated within an ethically compromised cause.