Shloka 9

खरसेनासङ्ग्रामः

The Battle with Khara’s Host at the Hermitage

Devanagari script

ते वलाहसङ्काशा महानादा महौजसः।अभ्यधावन्त काकुत्स्थं रथैर्वाजिभिरेव च।।।।गजैः पर्वतकूटाभै रामं युद्धे जिघांसवः।

Transliteration

te valāhasaṅkāśā mahānādā mahaujasaḥ |

abhyadhāvanta kākutsthaṃ rathair vājibhir eva ca ||

gajaiḥ parvatakūṭābhai rāmaṃ yuddhe jighāṃsavaḥ |

Translation

เหล่ารากษสผู้ทรงพลังนั้น ส่งเสียงคำรามดุจเมฆคำรน แล้วพุ่งเข้าหาพระกากุตสถะ (พระราม) ด้วยหมายจะปลงพระชนม์ในศึก—เคลื่อนมาด้วยรถศึก ม้า และช้างที่ดูประหนึ่งยอดเขา

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• valāha-saṅkāśāḥ: cloud-like
• valāha-saṅkāśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: valāha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying te; 'resembling clouds'

• mahānādāḥ: with great uproar
• mahānādāḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + nāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'great-roaring' qualifying te

• mahaujasaḥ: very powerful
• mahaujasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'great in strength' qualifying te

• abhyadhāvanta: ran towards
• abhyadhāvanta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Plural; Parasmaipada

• kākutstham: Kakutstha (Rama)
• kākutstham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; epithet of Rama

• rathaiḥ: with chariots
• rathaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• vājibhiḥ: with horses
• vājibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vājin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• eva: indeed/also
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• gajaiḥ: with elephants
• gajaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• parvata-kūṭābhaiḥ: mountain-peak-like
• parvata-kūṭābhaiḥ: Karana (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; qualifying gajaiḥ; 'resembling mountain-peaks'

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• yuddhe: in battle
• yuddhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Locative, Singular

• jighāṃsavaḥ: desiring to kill
• jighāṃsavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative present participle (सन्नन्त + शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'wishing to kill' qualifying te

Context

Overtaken by anger, the demons continuously hurled at Rama hammers, spears, spikes, barbed missiles, swords and battle-axes.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• rākṣasas
• chariots
• horses
• elephants

FAQs

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

Dharma often faces overwhelming force; the epic frames righteousness as standing against intimidation and violence aimed at the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

A mass charge is launched at Rāma with full war-mobility—chariots, cavalry, and elephant corps—accompanied by terrifying noise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s vīrya (heroic valor) and protective duty are foregrounded by the scale of threat rushing toward him.