Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 41

इन्द्रजित्-वधः

The Slaying of Indrajit

Devanagari script

अयोमुखैस्त्रिभिर्विद्ध्वाराक्षसेन्द्रंविभीषणम् ।।।।एकैकेनाभिविव्याथतान्सर्वान् हरियूथपान् ।

Transliteration

ayomukhais tribhir viddhvā rākṣasendraṃ vibhīṣaṇam | ekaikena abhivivyātha tān sarvān hariyūthapān ||

Translation

लोखंडी टोक असलेल्या तीन बाणांनी राक्षसांतील श्रेष्ठ विभीषणाला भेदून, त्यानंतर त्या सर्व वानर-यूथपतींनाही एकेक बाणाने वेगवेगळे भेदले।

Word by Word

• ayomukhaiḥ: with iron-pointed (arrows)
• ayomukhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayas + mukha (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘iron-pointed (arrows)’

• tribhiḥ: with three
• tribhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; numeral adjective

• viddhvā: having struck
• viddhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyadh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having pierced’

• rākṣasendram: Rakshasa king
• rākṣasendram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + indra (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘lord of Rakshasas’

• vibhīṣaṇam: Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; proper noun

• ekaikena: one by one
• ekaikena: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka + eka (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (one by one / each singly)

• abhivivyātha: struck, assailed
• abhivivyātha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√vyadh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘struck again/assailed’

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; adjective to ‘tān’/‘hariyūthapān’

• hari-yūthapān: vanara troop-leaders
• hari-yūthapān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari + yūthapa (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; ‘leaders of the monkey-troops’

Context

Having struck Vibheeshana with three arrows, he struck again all the Vanara leaders with one arrow each.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Vānara leaders (hariyūthapāḥ)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how violence can widen from a single opponent to many. Dharmic warfare ideally limits harm; the spreading attack shows escalation away from restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit expands his assault from Vibhīṣaṇa to the Vānara commanders, attempting to break leadership and morale.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial efficiency and tactical targeting (though ethically ambiguous): striking commanders to destabilize an army.