Shloka 21

उत्पातदर्शनं खरसैन्यसमागमश्च

Omens of calamity and the approach of Khara’s army

Devanagari script

स्वस्ति गोब्राह्मणेभ्योऽस्तु लोकानां येऽभिसङ्गताः।जयतां राघवो युद्धे पौलस्त्यान् रजनीचरान्।।।।चक्रहस्तो यथा युद्धे सर्वानसुर पुङ्गवान्।

Transliteration

svasti gobrāhmaṇebhyo 'stu lokānāṃ ye 'bhisaṅgatāḥ |

jayatāṃ rāghavo yuddhe paulastyān rajanīcarān ||

cakrahasto yathā yuddhe sarvān asura-puṅgavān ||

Translation

ขอความสวัสดีจงมีแก่โคและพราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย และแก่โลกทั้งปวงที่มาชุมนุม ณ ที่นี้ ขอพระราฆวะทรงมีชัยในสงครามเหนือเหล่าปaulัสตยะ ผู้ท่องราตรี คือรากษสทั้งหลาย ดุจพระวิษณุผู้ทรงจักรเคยปราบอสูรผู้เป็นยอดนักรบทั้งปวงในศึกฉะนั้น

Word by Word

• स्वस्ति: well-being, auspiciousness
• स्वस्ति: वाक्य-भावः (Benediction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गलार्थक-अव्ययम् (benedictive particle)

• गो-ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to cows and Brahmins
• गो-ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: सम्प्रदानम् (Sampradāna/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (समाहार/इतरेतर); पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-बहुवचनरूपम् (भ्यस्); अत्र चतुर्थी (Dative) ‘for/to’

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds / of people
• लोकानाम्: सम्बन्धः (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• ये: who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अभिसङ्गताः: assembled, gathered
• अभिसङ्गताः: कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (Qualifier of ‘ये’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-सम्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘समागताः’

• जयताम्: may (he) win
• जयताम्: आशीः-क्रिया (Benedictive verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (जयताम् = ‘may he win’)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rama)
• राघवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: अधिकरणम् (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• पौलस्त्यान्: the Paulastyas (of Pulastya's line)
• पौलस्त्यान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

• रजनीचरान्: night-rangers (demons)
• रजनीचरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनीचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; (पौलस्त्यान् इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्)

• चक्र-हस्तः: the one with discus in hand (Viṣṇu)
• चक्र-हस्तः: उपमानम् (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘चक्रं हस्ते यस्य’); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: उपमा-सूचकः (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (as, just as)

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: अधिकरणम् (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: विशेषणम् (Modifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• असुर-पुङ्गवान्: chief demons
• असुर-पुङ्गवान्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied with ‘जयताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘असुराणां पुङ्गवाः’); पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

Context

Thus looking at one another they discussed among themselves how there can be war between the righteous Rama fighting single-handed on the one hand and the fourteen thousand demons, performers of terrific deeds, on the other.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Paulastya
• rajanīcara (rākṣasas)
• Viṣṇu (cakrahasta)
• asura

FAQs

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

Dharma is protection of the vulnerable and the sacred social order—symbolized by cows and brahmins—through the defeat of predatory violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Heavenly sages and beings, witnessing the approaching battle, pronounce blessings for universal welfare and for Rāma’s victory over the rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as dharma-protector: his victory is envisioned as restoring safety and moral order.