Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 37

षट्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Ravana Deploys Five Generals; Hanuman Destroys the Commanders and the Remaining Host

Devanagari script

अश्वैरश्वान् गजैर्नागान् योधैर्योधान् रथैरथान्।।।।स कपिर्नाशयामास सहस्राक्ष इवासुरान्।

Transliteration

aśvair aśvān gajair nāgān yodhair yodhān rathair rathān |

sa kapir nāśayāmāsa sahasrākṣa ivāsurān ||

Translation

O macaco aniquilou-os em fileiras emparelhadas — cavalos contra cavalos, elefantes contra elefantes, guerreiros contra guerreiros, carruagens contra carruagens — como Indra, o de mil olhos, destruindo os asuras.

Word by Word

• aśvaiḥ: with horses
• aśvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• aśvān: horses
• aśvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• nāgān: elephants
• nāgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• yodhaiḥ: with warriors
• yodhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• yodhān: warriors
• yodhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• rathān: chariots
• rathān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kapiḥ: the monkey
• kapiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to saḥ

• nāśayāmāsa: destroyed
• nāśayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; Causative (णिजन्त)

• sahasrākṣaḥ: the thousand-eyed (Indra)
• sahasrākṣaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; bahuvrīhi epithet of Indra: "sahasram akṣāṇi yasya"

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle of comparison (उपमावाचक)

• asurān: demons
• asurān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Context

The vanara pitted horses against horses, elephants against elephants, warriors against warriors and chariots against chariots as Indra destroyed demons.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• asuras
• horses
• elephants
• warriors
• chariots

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as disciplined, proportionate force: the verse stresses ordered engagement (like-with-like), suggesting controlled power rather than chaotic violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān devastates the enemy formations across cavalry, elephants, infantry, and chariots, likened to Indra’s victories over the asuras.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas (martial brilliance) combined with strategic clarity.