Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 59

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

कर्मणासूचयात्मानं न विकत्थितुमर्हसि ।पौरुषेणतुयोयुक्तस्सतुशूरइतिस्मृतः ।।।।

Transliteration

karmaṇā sūcayātmānaṃ na vikatthitum arhasi | pauruṣeṇa tu yo yuktaḥ sa tu śūra iti smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

కర్మచేతనే నిన్ను నీవు తెలియజేయుము; గొప్పలు చెప్పుట నీకు తగదు. యథార్థంగా పౌరుషముతో యుక్తుడైనవాడే ‘శూరుడు’ అని స్మరింపబడును॥

Word by Word

• karmaṇā: by action
• karmaṇā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• sūcaya: indicate/show
• sūcaya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sūc (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ātmānam: yourself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• vikatthitum: to boast
• vikatthitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √katth (धातु) with vi-उपसर्ग
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive): विकत्थितुम् (to boast)

• arhasi: you ought/are fit
• arhasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• pauruṣeṇa: with prowess/manliness
• pauruṣeṇa: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pauruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• yuktaḥ: endowed/connected
• yuktaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त, √yuj धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (correlative)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic/contrastive)

• śūraḥ: hero
• śūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iti: as
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-कारक-अव्यय (quotative)

• smṛtaḥ: is called/known
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त, √smṛ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः = कथ्यते/ज्ञायते (is called/known)

Context

"Reveal yourself by action not by indication. You do not deserve it. He who is with prowess is a right hero."

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Atikāya

FAQs

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

Dharma values truth expressed through action: reputation and heroism must rest on deeds, not on self-advertisement.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa rebukes Atikāya’s proud speech and sets the standard that the battlefield will reveal genuine strength.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity and accountability: Lakṣmaṇa insists that merit be demonstrated concretely (karma) rather than claimed verbally.