Shloka 11

रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana

Brahmāstra Discharge

Devanagari script

कङ्कगृध्रबकानां च गोमायुगणरक्षसाम् ।नित्यंभक्षप्रदंयुद्धेयमरूपंभयापहम् ।।।।

Transliteration

kaṅka-gṛdhra-bakānāṃ ca gomāyu-gaṇa-rākṣasām | nityaṃ bhakṣapradaṃ yuddhe yamarūpaṃ bhayāpaham ||

Translation

Dalam peperangan, ia menjadi pemberi santapan yang tiada putus bagi helang, burung hering dan bangau, serta bagi kawanan serigala-jakal dan para Rākṣasa—mengerikan, berwujud Yama sendiri, penebar gentar.

Word by Word

• kaṅka-gṛdhra-bakānām: of herons, vultures, and cranes
• kaṅka-gṛdhra-bakānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/‘for/of’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṅka + gṛdhra + baka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• gomāyu-gaṇa-rakṣasām: of packs of jackals and rākṣasas
• gomāyu-gaṇa-rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/‘for/of’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomāyu + gaṇa + rakṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (group of jackals + rākṣasas); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• bhakṣa-pradam: providing food
• bhakṣa-pradam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakṣa + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (giver of food); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• yuddhe: in war
• yuddhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• yama-rūpam: Yama-like in form
• yama-rūpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yama + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (having the form of Yama); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhaya-apaham: fear-removing
• bhaya-apaham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + apaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (removing fear); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Context

In war, it provides food for buzzards, vultures, and herons, and also jackals and Rakshasas, causing terror in the form of Yama (God of death).

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• jackals (gomāyu)
• Rākṣasas
• vultures (gṛdhra)

FAQs

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

A stark ethical realism: war feeds death. Dharma therefore demands that force be justified, bounded, and directed toward restoring order (satya and nyāya), not personal rage or gain.

What is the narrative situation?

The text describes the battlefield’s aftermath and horror—carrion-eaters gathering—framing war as deathlike (Yama-shaped).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karunā and responsibility—an implied call to avoid needless slaughter and to pursue conflict only for righteous ends.