Shloka 3

अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha)

Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47

Devanagari script

ततो महद्बालदिवाकरप्रभं प्रतप्तजाम्बूनदजालसन्ततम्।रथं समास्थाय ययौ स वीर्यवान्महाहरिं तं प्रति नैरृतर्षभः।।5.47.3।।

Transliteration

tato mahad bāladivākaraprabhaṃ prataptajāmbūnadajālasantatam |

rathaṃ samāsthāya yayau sa vīryavān mahāhariṃ taṃ prati nairṛtarṣabhaḥ ||5.47.3||

Translation

ततः स नैरृतर्षभो वीर्यवान् महद्रथं समारुह्य ययौ—बालदिवाकरप्रभं, प्रतप्तजाम्बूनदजालसन्ततं—तं महाहरिं प्रति।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb = "then"

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifying ratham

• bāladivākara-prabham: shining like the rising sun
• bāladivākara-prabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla + divākara + prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; bahuvrīhi: "bāladivākarasya prabhā yasyāḥ/tulyā"; qualifying ratham

• pratapta-jāmbūnada-jāla-santatam: covered with a network of heated/pure gold
• pratapta-jāmbūnada-jāla-santatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratapta (√tap + kta) + jāmbūnada + jāla + santata (√tan + kta) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa (descriptive): "prataptasya jāmbūnadasya jālaṃ santataṃ yasmin"; qualifying ratham

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• samāsthāya: having mounted
• samāsthāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा) = "having mounted/ascended"

• yayau: went/marched
• yayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

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

• vīryavān: powerful
• vīryavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• mahāharim: the great monkey (Hanuman)
• mahāharim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; karmadhāraya: "mahān hariḥ" (great monkey)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular; referring to mahāharim

• prati: towards
• prati: Pratiyogin (प्रतियोगिन्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: Avyaya, preposition-like (उपपद) governing accusative = "towards/against"

• nairṛtarṣabhaḥ: the bull among rākṣasas
• nairṛtarṣabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: "nairṛtānām ṛṣabhaḥ" (bull among rākṣasas)

Context

Ascending a glittering chariot inlaid with pure gold Aksha, the courageous bull among giants looking splendid like the rising Sun, marched forth towards the great vanara.

Characters & Entities

• Akṣa
• Hanumān
• Jāmbūnada (gold)

FAQs

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

The verse frames the kṣatra setting: a warrior formally takes up arms and advances to meet an opponent, emphasizing duty-bound engagement rather than covert harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Akṣa prepares for combat by mounting his splendid chariot and moving to confront Hanumān.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial readiness and resolve—publicly taking the field to meet the challenge.