Shloka 8

आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description

Devanagari script

हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः।इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतन्त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः।।।।

Transliteration

hanyamānaṃ tu tat sainyaṃ paśyāmi śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ | indreṇevottamaṃ sasyam āhataṃ tv aśmavṛṣṭibhiḥ ||

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าเห็นกองทัพนั้นถูกกวาดล้มด้วยห่าฝนแห่งศร ดุจพระอินทราทรงกระหน่ำพืชผลอันสุกงอมด้วยพายุลูกเห็บ

Word by Word

• हन्यमानम्: being slain
• हन्यमानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √हन् (धातु) → हन्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त कर्मणि (शानच्/Present passive participle)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शर-वृष्टिभिः: by showers of arrows
• शर-वृष्टिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('rain of arrows')

• इन्द्रेण: by Indra
• इन्द्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/Agent in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• इव: as if/like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सस्यम्: crop
• सस्यम्: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आहतम्: struck/destroyed
• आहतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√हन् (धातु) → आहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: पादपूरण/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• अश्म-वृष्टिभिः: by showers of hailstones
• अश्म-वृष्टिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('hailstone-rains')

Context

Just as Indra destroys the crop ready for harvest by raining hailstones, I have seen Rama killing the army with a shower of arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Indra
• Army (sainya)

FAQs

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

It conveys the inevitable consequence of adharma: destructive forces fall swiftly upon aggressors, like a natural (or divine) calamity.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā describes the scale of destruction Rāma inflicted on the Janasthāna forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective power aligned with duty—Rāma’s strength functions like a corrective force against predatory violence.