Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 27, Shloka 13

वानर-ऋक्ष-सेना-प्रशंसा

Cataloguing the Vanara and Bear Forces

Devanagari script

आरुह्यपर्वताग्रेभ्योमहाभ्रविपुला: शिलाः ।मुञ्चन्तिविपुलाकारानमृत्योरुद्विजन्तिच ।।।।राक्षसानांचसदृशाःपिशाचानांचरोमशाः ।एतस्यसैन्याबहवोविचरन्त्यग्नितेजसः ।।।।

Transliteration

āruhya parvatāgrebhyo mahābhra-vipulāḥ śilāḥ | muñcanti vipulākārān mṛtyor udvijanti ca ||

rākṣasānāṃ ca sadṛśāḥ piśācānāṃ ca romaśāḥ | etasya sainyā bahavo vicaranty agni-tejasaḥ ||

Translation

Dari puncak-puncak gunung mereka memanjat lalu melontar bongkah-bongkah batu yang luas, bagaikan gumpalan awan besar; bertubuh raksasa, mereka tidak gentar walau di hadapan maut. Dalam bala tenteranya, ramai yang berkeliaran—berbulu lebat, menyala seperti api—berwajah garang seakan Rākṣasa dan Piśāca.

Word by Word

• āruhya: having climbed
• āruhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया) modifying main verbs
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: ktvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), avyaya-bhāva; 'having climbed'

• parvata-agrebhyaḥ: from the mountain-peaks
• parvata-agrebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (neuter), Pañcamī (5th case/ablative), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'parvatasya agre' (mountain-peaks)

• mahā-bhra-vipulāḥ: huge like great clouds
• mahā-bhra-vipulāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of "śilāḥ"
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhra (प्रातिपदिक; 'cloud') + vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā, Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya-like descriptive compound: 'vipulāḥ (mahābhrā iva)'

• śilāḥ: rocks
• śilāḥ: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine), Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• muñcanti: they hurl / release
• muñcanti: Kriyā (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana, parasmaipada

• vipula-ākārān: of huge size
• vipula-ākārān: Karma (object) of implied 'śilāḥ' as 'huge-formed (rocks)' (appositional)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (accusative), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'vipulaḥ ākāraḥ' (huge-formed)

• a-mṛtyoḥ: from death (even)
• a-mṛtyoḥ: Apādāna (source of fear)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) with a- (nañ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (ablative), Ekavacana; nañ-tatpuruṣa sense 'even from death'

• udvijanti: they fear / shrink
• udvijanti: Kriyā (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√vij (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana, parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Context

"His assistance was given to Indra in the war between Devas and demons and in turn he obtained many boons."

Characters & Entities

• Sāraṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Piśācas
• mountain peaks

FAQs

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

Fearlessness in the service of a chosen righteous duty is praised—courage that does not retreat even before death when protecting a dharmic cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Sāraṇa describes the terrifying battle-readiness and appearance of a leader’s troops, emphasizing their strength and fearlessness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Abhaya (fearlessness) and utsāha (energetic resolve) displayed by disciplined troops in war.