Shloka 29

विराधवधः

The Slaying (Burial) of Viradha

Devanagari script

अवध्यतां प्रेक्ष्य महासुरस्य तौ शितेन शस्त्रेण तदा नरर्षभौ।समर्थ्य चात्यर्थविशारदावुभौ बिले विराधस्य वधं प्रचक्रतुः।।।।

Transliteration

avadhyatāṃ prekṣya mahāsurasya tau śitena śastreṇa tadā nararṣabhau |

samarthya cātyarthaviśāradāv ubhau bile virādhasya vadhaṃ pracakratuḥ ||

Translation

ครั้นเห็นว่าอสูรผู้ยิ่งใหญ่นั้นมิอาจฆ่าได้ด้วยวิธีสามัญ บุรุษผู้ประเสริฐทั้งสอง—ชำนาญยิ่ง—จึงไตร่ตรอง แล้วใช้ศัสตราคมกริบกระทำวธของวิราธะให้สำเร็จภายในหลุม

Word by Word

• अवध्यताम्: the (fact of) being unkillable / invulnerability
• अवध्यताम्: कर्म (object) — प्रेक्ष्य (having seen) इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवध्यता (प्रातिपदिक) < अवध्य (न- + वध्य, कृदन्त/विशेषण) + -ता (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. case 2), एकवचन (sg.); भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त (abstract noun: 'state of being unkillable')

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• प्रेक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया) — प्रचक्रतुः इत्यस्य
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु) → प्रेक्ष्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ल्यप् (क्त्वार्थ), 'having seen/observed'

• महासुरस्य: of the great demon
• महासुरस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) — अवध्यताम् इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुर (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + असुर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. case 6), एकवचन (sg.); समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् असुरः)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (agent) — प्रचक्रतुः इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. case 1), द्विवचन (du.); सर्वनाम

• शितेन: with sharp
• शितेन: करण (instrument) — शस्त्रेण सह
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) < शि (धातु, 'to sharpen') → शित (ppp)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. case 3), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषणम् शस्त्रेण इत्यस्य

• शस्त्रेण: by/with a weapon
• शस्त्रेण: करण (instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. case 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: क्रियाविशेषण (time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• नरर्षभौ: the two best of men
• नरर्षभौ: कर्ता (agent) — तौ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ (प्रातिपदिक) = नर + ऋषभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. case 1), द्विवचन (du.); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् ऋषभौ = bulls among men)

• समर्थ्य: having considered / after deliberating
• समर्थ्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया) — प्रचक्रतुः इत्यस्य
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्थ् (धातु, 'to consider/mean') → समर्थ्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ल्यप्; अर्थः: 'having considered/reflected/decided'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• अत्यर्थविशारदौ: both very proficient
• अत्यर्थविशारदौ: कर्ता (agent) — तौ/नरर्षभौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यर्थविशारद (प्रातिपदिक) = अत्यर्थ + विशारद
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. case 1), द्विवचन (du.); समासः कर्मधारयः (अत्यर्थं विशारदौ = very proficient)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: कर्ता (agent) — तौ इत्यस्य पुनरुक्त-निर्देश
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. case 1), द्विवचन (du.); सर्वनाम (collective: 'both')

• बिले: in the cave/pit
• बिले: अधिकरण (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc. case 7), एकवचन (sg.)

• विराधस्य: of Virādha
• विराधस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) — वधम् इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. case 6), एकवचन (sg.)

• वधम्: killing / slaying
• वधम्: कर्म (object) — प्रचक्रतुः इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. case 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• प्रचक्रतुः: they carried out / undertook
• प्रचक्रतुः: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) → चक्र (परस्मैपद-लिट्/परिप्रयोग) ; रूपम्: प्रचक्रतुः
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (dual), परस्मैपदम्; अर्थः: 'they did/undertook/caused'

Context

The two princes, bulls among men, who were adept in archery saw that the great demon could not be killed by any other means. They reflected over the issue and undertook the task of killing him with sharp weapons and buried him in a pit.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Virādha

FAQs

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

Dharma is intelligent, proportionate action: when facing a threat that resists ordinary measures, one must apply discernment and skill to restore safety without abandoning righteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa realize Virādha’s special invulnerability and therefore complete the killing by a method that works—within the pit, with sharp weapons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viśārada (expertise) joined to dharma: their competence and strategic thinking serve protective righteousness.