Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 64

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

लक्ष्मणस्यवचश्श्रुत्वाहेतुमत्परमार्थवत् ।।।।अतिकायःप्रचुक्रोधबाणंचोत्तममाददे ।

Transliteration

lakṣmaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā hetumat paramārthavat | atikāyaḥ pracukrodha bāṇaṃ cottamam ādade ||

Translation

लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हेतुमत् परमार्थवत्। अतिकायः प्रचुक्रोध, उत्तमं बाणं च आददे॥

Word by Word

• lakṣmaṇasya: of Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/genitive) Ekavacana

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā/Dvitīyā Ekavacana; here Dvitīyā as object of śrutvā

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा): "having heard"

• hetumat: reasonable
• hetumat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hetumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with vacaḥ; "endowed with reason"

• paramārthavat: full of true import
• paramārthavat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paramārthavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with vacaḥ; "full of highest truth"

• atikāyaḥ: Atikāya
• atikāyaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atikāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• pracukrodha: became very angry
• pracukrodha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√krudh (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana, parasmaipada

• bāṇam: arrow
• bāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-निपात)

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with bāṇam

• ādade: took up
• ādade: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana, ātmanepada

Context

On hearing the words of Lakshmana, which was reasonable and full of truth, Atikaya became furious and took up the best of arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Atikāya
• arrow

FAQs

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

Truth spoken with reason can provoke the ego; Dharma advises mastery over anger and acceptance of truthful counsel.

What is the narrative situation?

After Lakṣmaṇa’s challenge, Atikāya reacts emotionally—anger rising—and prepares to respond with a powerful shot.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast: Lakṣmaṇa’s reasoned truthfulness versus Atikāya’s lack of self-control (krodha).