Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 23

रावणशूलप्रक्षेपः

Ravana Hurls the Trident; Rama Counters with Indra’s Javelin

Devanagari script

आपतन्तंशरौघेणवारयामासराघवः ।उत्पतन्तंयुगान्तानगिंजलौघैरिववासवः ।।।।

Transliteration

āpatantaṃ śaraughena vārayāmāsa rāghavaḥ | utpatantaṃ yugāntāgniṃ jalaughair iva vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

అది దూసుకొస్తుండగా రాఘవుడు బాణసమూహ ప్రవాహంతో దానిని అడ్డుకున్నాడు—యుగాంతాగ్ని ఎగసిపడితే వాసవుడు జలప్రవాహాలతో ఆర్పినట్లు।

Word by Word

• āpatantam: (him) rushing/falling upon
• āpatantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सामान्यरूप (context: masculine)

• śara-ogheṇa: with a torrent of arrows
• śara-ogheṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शराणाम् ओघः), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• vārayāmāsa: checked/warded off
• vārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (धातु) [vārayati]
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• utpatantam: (him) leaping up/rushing forth
• utpatantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-√pat (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग (context)

• yugānta-anagim: the fire at the end of an age (cosmic dissolution)
• yugānta-anagim: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga-anta (प्रातिपदिक) + anagni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (युगान्ते अनग्निः), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• jala-oghaiḥ: with floods/streams of water
• jala-oghaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जलानाम् ओघाः), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• iva: like/as
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• vāsavaḥ: Vāsava (Indra)
• vāsavaḥ: Upamāna-karta (उपमान-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Context

Raghava intercepted the trident, just as the fire was obstructed by the flow of water, at the time of universal dissolution, and obstructed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Vāsava (Indra)
• śara (arrows)
• jala (water)

FAQs

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

Dharma is protective restraint: the righteous warrior’s role is to prevent destructive force from spreading, like water containing a consuming fire.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma’s arrow-volley intercepts the approaching trident, halting its advance mid-flight.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śaurya with responsibility—heroism expressed as safeguarding and containment of harm, not mere aggression.