Shloka 39

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

तेभिन्नगात्रास्समरेवानराश्शरपीडिताः ।पेतुर्मथितसङ्कल्पास्सुरैरिवमहासुराः ।।।।

Transliteration

te bhinnagātrāḥ samare vānarāḥ śarapīḍitāḥ |

petur mathitasaṅkalpāḥ surair iva mahāsurāḥ ||

Translation

Ditembusi anak panah di medan perang, para Vanara yang anggota tubuhnya hancur dan tekadnya goyah pun rebah, bagaikan Asura-agung yang ditundukkan para Dewa.

Word by Word

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bhinna-gātrāḥ: with shattered limbs
• bhinna-gātrāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhinna (कृदन्त; √bhid/भिद् 'split') + gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः 'with limbs split'; qualifies vānarāḥ

• samare: in battle
• samare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• vānarāḥ: Vanaras
• vānarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• śara-pīḍitāḥ: pierced/afflicted by arrows
• śara-pīḍitāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त; √pīḍ/पीड् 'to torment')
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः 'tormented by arrows'; qualifies vānarāḥ

• petuḥ: fell
• petuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; 'fell'

• mathita-saṅkalpāḥ: with resolve shattered
• mathita-saṅkalpāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mathita (कृदन्त; √math/मथ् 'to churn, disturb') + saṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः 'whose resolve is shaken'; qualifies vānarāḥ

• suraiḥ: by the gods
• suraiḥ: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपमान-करण (standard of comparison)

• iva: like
• iva: Upama-sambandha (उपमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle): 'like/as'

• mahā-asurāḥ: great Asuras
• mahā-asurāḥ: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः 'great asuras'; upameya in simile (compared to the Vanaras)

Context

Pierced by arrows in the battle, those Vanaras with their necks broken, giving up hopes of winning, frustrated, fell like the demons oppressed by great gods.

Characters & Entities

• Vanaras
• Devas (Suras)
• Asuras

FAQs

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

War fractures both body and resolve; Dharma traditions repeatedly stress that violence has grave human cost, even for the righteous side.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit’s arrows cause heavy Vanara casualties; many collapse on the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance is tested; the verse underscores the psychological strain (shaken resolve) alongside physical injury.