Shloka 15

महोदरवधः

The Slaying of Mahodara

Devanagari script

तांतुभिन्नांशिलांदृष्टवासुग्रीवःक्रोधमूर्छितः ।सालमुत्पाट्यचिक्षेपराक्षसेरणमूर्थनि ।।6.98.15।।

Transliteration

tāṃ tu bhinnāṃ śilāṃ dṛṣṭvā sugrīvaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ |

sālam utpāṭya cikṣepa rākṣase raṇamūrdhani ||6.98.15||

Translation

ശില ചിതറിയത് കണ്ട സుగ്രീവൻ ക്രോധാവേശത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി; യുദ്ധത്തിന്റെ നടുവിൽ ഒരു ശാലവൃക്ഷം പിഴുതെടുത്ത് രാക്ഷസന്റെ മേൽ എറിഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिलाम् इति विशेष्य

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (but/indeed)

• भिन्नाम्: broken/fragmented
• भिन्नाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भिद् (धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिलाम् इति विशेषणम्

• शिलाम्: rock
• शिलाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• सुग्रीवः: Sugriva
• सुग्रीवः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रोधमूर्छितः: faint/deluded with anger
• क्रोधमूर्छितः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध-मूर्छित (कृदन्त; √मूर्छ् धातु; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रोधेन मूर्छितः); भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सुग्रीवः इति विशेषणम्

• सालम्: a sala tree
• सालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्पाट्य: having uprooted
• उत्पाट्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पाट्/√पट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having uprooted)

• चिक्षेप: hurled
• चिक्षेप: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राक्षसे: at the Rakshasa
• राक्षसे: सम्प्रदान/लक्ष्य (Recipient/Target)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; लक्ष्य (target)

• रणमूर्धनि: in the thick of battle
• रणमूर्धनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण-मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रणस्य मूर्धा/मूर्धन्); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Context

Seeing the fragmented rock, Sugriva was deluded with anger, and tearing up a sala tree, he shattered on the Rakshasa (Mahodara) in the battlefield.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Mahodara
• Sāla (tree)

FAQs

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

Anger clouds judgment; Dharma recommends mastery over krodha so that righteous aims are not corrupted by impulsive wrath.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva escalates the attack by uprooting and throwing a tree after his rock is destroyed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Determination (mixed with anger): Sugrīva refuses to retreat, though his emotional surge is highlighted as a risk.