Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

सनदन्युधिसुग्रीवस्स्वरेणमहतामहान् ।पातयन्विविधांश्चान्यान्ञ्जगामोत्तमराक्षसान् ।।।।

Transliteration

sa nadan yudhi sugrīvas svarēṇa mahatā mahān |

pātayan vividhāṃś cānyān jagāmottamarākṣasān ||

Translation

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ മഹാശബ്ദത്തോടെ ഗർജ്ജിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് മഹാബലവാൻ സുഗ്രീവൻ അനേകം മറ്റു ശത്രുക്കളെ വീഴ്ത്തി, ശ്രേഷ്ഠരാക്ഷസന്മാരുടെ ദിശയിൽ മുന്നേറി.

Word by Word

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (pronoun)

• नदन्: roaring
• नदन्: Karta-visheshana (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमानकाले वर्तमानकृदन्त), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; Present active participle, Nominative, Singular

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्/युधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (युध्), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सुग्रीवः: Sugriva
• सुग्रीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वरेण: with (his) voice
• स्वरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great; loud
• महता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental, Singular (qualifying स्वरेण)

• महान्: mighty
• महान्: Karta-visheshana (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (qualifying सुग्रीवः)

• पातयन्: causing to fall; striking down
• पातयन्: Karta-visheshana (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय, प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; Present active participle (causative), Nominative, Singular

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural (object set 1)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अन्यान्: others
• अन्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural (object set 2)

• जगाम: went; advanced
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• उत्तमराक्षसान्: the foremost Rakshasas
• उत्तमराक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Context

The Rakshasa king, having destroyed the forest rangers, thereafter, went to Raghava hurriedly.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rākṣasas (foremost one, unspecified here)

FAQs

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

Dharma as protection through strength: force is used not for conquest but to remove violent obstruction and reach the principal threat.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva clears lesser enemies and advances toward a leading rākṣasa champion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearless initiative—Sugrīva’s audacity energizes allies and pressures the enemy command.