Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 101, Shloka 15

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

सारदथेश्चापिबाणेनशिरोज्वलितकुण्डलम् ।जहारलक्ष्मणःश्रीमान्नैरृतस्यमहाबलः ।।।।

Transliteration

sārathes cāpi bāṇena śiro jvalitakuṇḍalam | jahāra lakṣmaṇaḥ śrīmān nairṛtasya mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

శ్రీమంతుడూ మహాబలవంతుడైన లక్ష్మణుడు ఒక బాణంతో ఆ రాక్షస సారథి జ్వలించే కుండలాలతో మెరిసే శిరస్సును తెగదెంపాడు।

Word by Word

• सारथेः: of the charioteer
• सारथेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction), समुच्चय (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अपि = 'also/even'

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्वलितकुण्डलम्: with glittering earrings
• ज्वलितकुण्डलम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलितकुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक: ज्वलित (कृदन्त) + कुण्डल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) शिरः इति

• जहार: took away/struck off
• जहार: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रीमान्: illustrious
• श्रीमान्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) लक्ष्मणः इति

• नैरृतस्य: of the night-ranger (rakshasa)
• नैरृतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाबलः: mighty
• महाबलः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक: महा + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) लक्ष्मणः इति

Context

Then Lakshmana split with five sharpened arrows the bow of Rakshasa king that resembled elephant's trunk.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Sārathi (charioteer)

FAQs

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

In kṣātra-dharma, disabling an aggressor’s war-capacity is legitimate within battle; the verse depicts tactical removal of support enabling adharma’s violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa shoots the charioteer of Rāvaṇa, striking off his head.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Battle-skill and decisiveness—Lakṣmaṇa acts swiftly to reduce the enemy’s operational strength.