Shloka 9

खरसेनासङ्ग्रामः

The Battle with Khara’s Host at the Hermitage

Devanagari script

ते वलाहसङ्काशा महानादा महौजसः।अभ्यधावन्त काकुत्स्थं रथैर्वाजिभिरेव च।।।।गजैः पर्वतकूटाभै रामं युद्धे जिघांसवः।

Transliteration

te valāhasaṅkāśā mahānādā mahaujasaḥ |

abhyadhāvanta kākutsthaṃ rathair vājibhir eva ca ||

gajaiḥ parvatakūṭābhai rāmaṃ yuddhe jighāṃsavaḥ |

Translation

ਬੱਦਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਗਰਜ ਵਰਗਾ ਮਹਾਨਾਦ ਕਰਦੇ ਉਹ ਮਹਾਬਲੀ ਰਾਖਸ਼ਸ ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਾਕੁਤਸਥ ਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰਣ ਦੀ ਇੱਛਾ ਨਾਲ ਰਥਾਂ, ਘੋੜਿਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਪਹਾੜੀ ਚੋਟੀਆਂ ਵਰਗੇ ਦਿਸਦੇ ਹਾਥੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਧਾਵਾ ਬੋਲ ਪਏ।

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• valāha-saṅkāśāḥ: cloud-like
• valāha-saṅkāśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: valāha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying te; 'resembling clouds'

• mahānādāḥ: with great uproar
• mahānādāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + nāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'great-roaring' qualifying te

• mahaujasaḥ: very powerful
• mahaujasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'great in strength' qualifying te

• abhyadhāvanta: ran towards
• abhyadhāvanta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Plural; Parasmaipada

• kākutstham: Kakutstha (Rama)
• kākutstham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; epithet of Rama

• rathaiḥ: with chariots
• rathaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• vājibhiḥ: with horses
• vājibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vājin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• eva: indeed/also
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• gajaiḥ: with elephants
• gajaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• parvata-kūṭābhaiḥ: mountain-peak-like
• parvata-kūṭābhaiḥ: Karana (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; qualifying gajaiḥ; 'resembling mountain-peaks'

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• yuddhe: in battle
• yuddhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Locative, Singular

• jighāṃsavaḥ: desiring to kill
• jighāṃsavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative present participle (सन्नन्त + शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'wishing to kill' qualifying te

Context

Overtaken by anger, the demons continuously hurled at Rama hammers, spears, spikes, barbed missiles, swords and battle-axes.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• rākṣasas
• chariots
• horses
• elephants

FAQs

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

Dharma often faces overwhelming force; the epic frames righteousness as standing against intimidation and violence aimed at the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

A mass charge is launched at Rāma with full war-mobility—chariots, cavalry, and elephant corps—accompanied by terrifying noise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s vīrya (heroic valor) and protective duty are foregrounded by the scale of threat rushing toward him.