Shloka 70

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

वानरान्दशसप्तेतिराक्षसाजघ्नुराहवे ।राक्षसान्दशसप्तेतिवानराश्चाभ्यपातयन् ।।।।

Transliteration

vānarān daśa-sapteti rākṣasā jaghnur āhave |

rākṣasān daśa-sapteti vānarāś cābhyapātayan ||

Translation

Dalam pertempuran itu, para rākṣasa menewaskan para vānara menurut bilangan “sepuluh dan tujuh”; dan para vānara pun menjatuhkan para rākṣasa dengan bilangan yang sama, “sepuluh dan tujuh”.

Word by Word

• vānarān: monkeys
• vānarān: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (ten)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (seven)

• iti: thus/so (i.e., in this count)
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• rākṣasāḥ: rākṣasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• jaghnuḥ: slew/struck down
• jaghnuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• āhave: in battle
• āhave: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• rākṣasān: rākṣasas
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

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

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

• abhyapātayan: felled/struck down
• abhyapātayan: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु) with abhi-
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in context (to cause to fall/strike down)

Context

In that fight the Rakshasas killed the Vanaras at the rate of ten to seven and the Vanaras struck down Rakshasas at the rate of ten to seven.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

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

The verse highlights impartiality and accountability in war: loss occurs on both sides, reminding the listener that violence yields reciprocal suffering and that righteous war (dharma-yuddha) still carries grave consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

A summary count-like description of the ongoing battle in Laṅkā, indicating intense mutual casualties between the vānaras and rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective courage and steadfastness: both armies continue to engage relentlessly, showing endurance and determination amid heavy losses.