Shloka 31

रावणस्य सभाप्रवेशः — रामस्य शरवृष्ट्या राक्षससेनाविनाशः

Ravana Enters Council; Rama’s Arrow-Storm Destroys the Rakshasa Host

Devanagari script

अनीकंदशसाहस्रंरथानांवातरम्हसाम् ।अष्टादशसहस्राणिकुञ्जराणांतरस्विनाम् ।।।।चतुर्दशसहस्राणिसारोहाणां च वाजिनाम् ।पूर्णेशतसहस्रेद्वेराक्षसानांपदातिनाम् ।।।।दिवसस्याष्टभागेनशरैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।हतात्यान्येकेनरामेणरक्षसांकामरूपिणाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

anīkaṃ daśa-sāhasraṃ rathānāṃ vāta-raṃhasām |

aṣṭādaśa-sahasrāṇi kuñjarāṇāṃ tarasvinām ||

caturdaśa-sahasrāṇi sārohāṇāṃ ca vājinām |

pūrṇe śata-sahasre dve rākṣasāṇāṃ padātinām ||

divasasyāṣṭa-bhāgena śarair agni-śikhopamaiḥ |

hatātyāny ekena rāmeṇa rakṣasāṃ kāma-rūpiṇām ||

Translation

Dalam seperlapan hari sahaja, Rāma seorang diri menumpaskan para Rākṣasa yang mampu berubah rupa dengan anak panah laksana lidah api: sepuluh ribu rata yang sepantas angin, lapan belas ribu gajah perang yang perkasa, empat belas ribu kuda berkuda, serta genap dua ratus ribu infantri.

Word by Word

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

• hata-aśvāḥ: with horses slain
• hata-aśvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (√han, क्त कृदन्त) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yeṣāṃ aśvāḥ hatāḥ = whose horses were killed)

• hata-rathāḥ: with chariots destroyed
• hata-rathāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (√han, क्त कृदन्त) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (whose chariots were destroyed)

• śāntāḥ: subdued
• śāntāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (√śam, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (subdued/quelled)

• vimathita-dhvajāḥ: with standards broken
• vimathita-dhvajāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimathita (√math, क्त कृदन्त) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (whose banners/standards were shattered)

• abhipetuḥ: they fled/returned
• abhipetuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; abhi+√pat (to fly/return/approach)

• purīm: to the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुरीम् इति विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• hata-śeṣāḥ: with only a slain remnant left
• hata-śeṣāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (√han, क्त) + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (whose remainder were slain; i.e., only a remnant left)

• niśācarāḥ: night-rangers (demons)
• niśācarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

People saw Rama in the form of wheel exterminating the Rakshasas on the battlefield, which had the body of Sri Rama as its navel, his strength as its glow, the arrows as spokes, his bow as belly, the twangling of the bowstring as its sound, his virtues and effulgence as the power of his mystic missiles in war. Rama was seen as a wheel of time spirit by the people.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The text frames righteous warfare as decisive removal of violent adharma; the emphasis is on swift protection of the world by ending oppression rather than prolonging harm.

What is the narrative situation?

A quantitative description of the scale and speed of Rāma’s battlefield success against massive Rākṣasa formations.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Aparājeya-vīrya (invincible valor) coupled with effectiveness and resolve in executing a dharmic mission.