Valmiki Ramayana 6.71.67 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 67

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तंनिशितंशरमाशीविषोपमम् ।।।।अर्धचन्द्रेणचिच्छेदलक्ष्मणःपरवीरहा ।

Transliteration

tam āpatantaṃ niśitaṃ śaram āśīviṣopamam | ardhacandreṇa ciccheda lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā ||

Translation

விஷப்பாம்பைப் போன்ற கூர்மையான அந்தப் பாயும் அம்பை, பகை வீரர்களை அழிப்பவன் இலக்குமணன் அரைச்சந்திர வடிவ அம்பால் வெட்டி வீழ்த்தினான்।

Word by Word

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; refers to śaram

• āpatantam: coming towards (falling upon)
• āpatantam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-present active participle, Puṃliṅga Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with śaram

• niśitam: sharp
• niśitam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (कृदन्त, क्त from √niś)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with śaram

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

• āśīviṣa-upamam: like a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣa-upamam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana agreeing with śaram; tatpuruṣa: āśīviṣasya upamaḥ (like a venomous serpent)

• ardhacandreṇa: with a half-moon (arrow)
• ardhacandreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardhacandra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: ardhaḥ candraḥ (half-moon shaped weapon/arrow)

• ciccheda: cut/sundered
• ciccheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana, parasmaipada

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• paravīrahā: slayer of enemy heroes
• paravīrahā: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + han (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: parān vīrān hanti (slayer of enemy heroes), epithet of Lakṣmaṇa

Context

Lakshmana, the heroic destroyer of enemies, shattered the venomous serpent like arrow with his sharp half- moon shaped arrow.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Steadfastness in righteous battle: Lakṣmaṇa responds to danger with disciplined skill rather than fear or rage, embodying kṣatriya-dharma guided by self-control.

What is the narrative situation?

In the battle, a deadly arrow rushes toward Lakṣmaṇa; he intercepts it mid-flight and cuts it apart with a crescent-shaped arrow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vīrya (valor) joined with precision and composure—heroism expressed as controlled mastery.