Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

स्फुरन्तंपरिवर्तन्तंपार्श्वेनरुधिरोक्षितम् ।करुणं च विनर्दन्तंददृशुःकपयोरिपुम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sphurantaṃ parivartantaṃ pārśvena rudhirokṣitam |

karuṇaṃ ca vinardantaṃ dadṛśuḥ kapayo ripum ||

Translation

രക്തത്തിൽ നനഞ്ഞ വശവുമായി വിറച്ചും വശത്തേക്ക് വശത്തേക്ക് ഉരുളിയും, കരുണയായി നിലവിളിച്ച ആ ശത്രുവിനെ വാനരന്മാർ കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• स्फुरन्तम्: twitching
• स्फुरन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphur (धातु) → sphurant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; रिपुम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• परिवर्तन्तम्: rolling/turning about
• परिवर्तन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari√vṛt (धातु) → parivartant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रिपुम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पार्श्वेन: on the side / with his flank
• पार्श्वेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; प्रकार/अवयव-निर्देशे

• रुधिरोक्षितम्: splashed with blood
• रुधिरोक्षितम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudhira (प्रातिपदिक) + ukṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘उक्षित’ from √ukṣ (to sprinkle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्भव; अत्र पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुधिरेण उक्षितः)

• करुणम्: piteous
• करुणम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रिपुम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विनर्दन्तम्: groaning/crying out
• विनर्दन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√nard (धातु) → vinardant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; रिपुम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कपयः: the monkeys
• कपयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• रिपुम्: the enemy
• रिपुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Context

Sugriva, being a hero himself, uprooting a tree as a weapon, went towards the enemy after having assigned Sushena the responsibility of protection of Vanaras.

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras (Kapayas)
• Virūpākṣa (enemy, by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes karuṇā (compassion): even amid righteous war, one recognizes the shared fragility of life and does not exult in suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

The fallen rākṣasa writhes and cries; the vānaras observe the immediate aftermath of combat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassion tempered by duty—acknowledging an enemy’s pain while remaining committed to ending adharma.