Shloka 24

Devanagari script

आत्मनस्सदृशान्शूरान्किङ्करान्नाम राक्षसान्।व्यादिदेश महातेजा निग्रहार्थं हनूमतः।।5.42.24।।

Transliteration

ātmanas sadṛśān śūrān kiṅkarān nāma rākṣasān | vyādideśa mahātejā nigrahārthaṃ hanūmataḥ || 5.42.24 ||

Translation

அப்போது மகாதேஜஸ்வியானவன், தன்னுக்கு ஒப்பான வீரமுடைய ‘கிங்கரர்’ எனப்படும் ராட்சசர்களை, ஹனுமானை அடக்கிப் பிடிக்குமாறு கட்டளையிட்டான்.

Word by Word

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदृशान्: similar; equal
• सदृशान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to शूरान्/राक्षसान्)

• शूरान्: heroes; warriors
• शूरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• किङ्करान्: servants (kinkaras)
• किङ्करान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाम: named; called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (particle meaning 'by name/called')

• राक्षसान्: demons
• राक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• व्यादिदेश: commanded; ordered
• व्यादिदेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-दिś् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महातेजाः: the mighty one; of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महत् तेजः यस्य)

• निग्रह-अर्थम्: for the purpose of subduing/capturing
• निग्रह-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निग्रहस्य अर्थम्) प्रयोजनार्थे

• हनूमतः: of Hanuman
• हनूमतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनूमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

Eighty thousand powerful kinkaras (a clan of demons), large-bellied, with large teeth and of dreadful appearance, swift in action, armed with hammers and clubs marched from there, resolved to capture Hanuman.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kiṅkaras
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Power used for unjust ends becomes adharma: command and obedience are ethically neutral only when aligned with righteousness. Here authority is deployed to suppress a messenger acting for a just cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa responds to the disturbance by ordering his elite Kiṅkara forces to capture Hanumān.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

On the opposing side, Hanumān’s steadfastness in duty is implied; on Rāvaṇa’s side, the verse highlights militarized control rather than moral governance.