Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सुवर्णपुङ्खैर्विशिखैस्सपतद्भिस्सहस्रशः ।।।।बभूवरजनीचित्राखद्योतैरिवशारदी ।

Transliteration

suvarṇapuṅkhair viśikhaiḥ sapatadbhiḥ sahasraśaḥ | babhūva rajanī citrā khadyotair iva śāradī ||

Translation

Dengan beribu-ribu anak panah berbulu emas yang menghujani, malam itu kelihatan menakjubkan, seperti malam musim luruh yang berkelipan dengan kunang-kunang.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• शब्देन: by the sound
• शब्देन: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन; विशेषण (शब्देन)

• प्रवृद्धेन: swollen, intensified
• प्रवृद्धेन: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन; विशेषण (शब्देन) — 'grown, intensified'

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: देशाधिकरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (all around)

• त्रिकूटः: Trikūṭa (mountain)
• त्रिकूटः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (proper noun)

• कन्दराकीर्णः: filled with caves
• कन्दराकीर्णः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्दरा + कीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कन्दराभिः कीर्णः) विशेषण (त्रिकूटः/अचलः)

• प्रव्याहरत्: resounded, responded
• प्रव्याहरत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वि + आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इव: as if
• इव: उपमा-सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• अचलः: the mountain
• अचलः: कर्ता (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; त्रिकूटस्य पर्याय/अप्पोज़िशन

Context

Mighty Rama with his shafts that were like flames of fire, decorated with gold, brightened in all directions.

Characters & Entities

• Arrows (śara/viśikha)

FAQs

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

Dharma is indirectly served by truthful depiction: the epic does not romanticize violence, yet it records how war can appear dazzling—prompting ethical reflection on beauty that masks harm.

What is the narrative situation?

The sky is filled with countless arrows; their gold fletchings make the battlefield-night appear illuminated.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a single virtue, but the epic’s satya (truthfulness) in narration—presenting the sensory reality of war while leaving moral discernment to the listener.