Valmiki Ramayana 6.97.16 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 16

सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः (Yuddha Kāṇḍa 97): Sugrīva’s Onslaught and the Fall of Virūpākṣa

Devanagari script

सुग्रीवे स शरान्घोरान्विससर्जचमूमुखे ।स्थापयामासचोद्विग्नान्राक्षसान् सम्प्रहर्षयन् ।।।।

Transliteration

sugrīve sa śarān ghorān visasarja camūmukhe | sthāpayāmāsa codvignān rākṣasān sampraharṣayan ||

Translation

സേനയുടെ മുൻനിരയിൽ നിന്ന സുഗ്രീവനിലേക്കു അവൻ ഭയങ്കരമായ അമ്പുകൾ വിട്ടു; കൂടാതെ വിറച്ചിരുന്ന രാക്ഷസരെ ഉറപ്പിച്ചു നിർത്തി, അവരെ ആനന്ദിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सुग्रीवे: at/against Sugriva
• सुग्रीवे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-Target)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• घोरान्: dreadful
• घोरान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘शरान्’)

• विससर्ज: released
• विससर्ज: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चमूमुखे: at the army-front
• चमूमुखे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमू + मुख (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (चमू- मुखे = ‘in the front of the army/at the army-front’)

• स्थापयामास: stationed/placed
• स्थापयामास: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (causative) + लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘caused to stand/placed’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उद्विग्नान्: agitated/alarmed
• उद्विग्नान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-विज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘राक्षसान्’)

• राक्षसान्: Rakshasas
• राक्षसान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सम्प्रहर्षयन्: gladdening/cheering
• सम्प्रहर्षयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agentive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-हृष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृसमानाधिकरण (agreeing with ‘सः’)

Context

The king of Vanaras, pained by the shafts of Rakshasa, roared, and became very furious. He set in his mind to kill the Rakshasa.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Virūpākṣa
• Rākṣasas
• Vānaras

FAQs

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

Dharma is contrasted with morale-building for an unjust cause: leadership can embolden followers, but righteousness depends on the cause served, not merely on courage or strategy.

What is the narrative situation?

Virūpākṣa attacks Sugrīva and the Vānara front line with arrows, rallying the Rākṣasa troops.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Command and battlefield leadership (nīti/saṅgrāma-kauśala) is emphasized—used here to restore confidence among allies.