Shloka 49

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

शशासचैवतान् सर्वान्राक्षसान् सुमहाबलान् ।राक्षसागच्छताद्यैवसिंहनादं च नादयन् ।।।।

Transliteration

śaśāsa caiva tān sarvān rākṣasān sumahābalān | rākṣasā gacchatādyaiva siṃhanādaṃ ca nādayan ||

Translation

Lalu dia memerintah semua Rākṣasa yang amat perkasa itu; sambil mengaum seperti singa dia berseru: “Wahai Rākṣasa, pergilah—sekarang juga!”

Word by Word

• śaśāsa: ordered/commanded
• śaśāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śās (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• tān: those (them)
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) तान्/राक्षसान्

• rākṣasān: Rakshasas
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• su-mahā-balān: very mighty
• su-mahā-balān: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) राक्षसान्; समासः—कर्मधारय (mahā-bala = great-strength), su- उपपदेन अतिशय (very)

• rākṣasāḥ: the Rakshasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• gacchata: go!
• gacchata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• adya: today/now
• adya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• eva: at once/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• siṃha-nādaṃ: lion-roar
• siṃha-nādaṃ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (siṃhasya nādaḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• nādayan: roaring/causing to resound
• nādayan: Karta (कर्ता/agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-कर्तरि

Context

Roaring like a lion, he ordered all the Rakshasas of extraordinary strength to proceed instantly.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds the force of authority; the Ramayana’s ethical lens asks whether such power is guided by satya and dharma or merely by dominance and rage.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa urgently orders all powerful Rākṣasas to move out immediately to meet the Vānara assault.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commanding presence and urgency—yet portrayed as an aggressive, fear-driven mobilization rather than calm dharmic leadership.