Shloka 22

ऐन्द्ररथप्रदानम्

Indra’s Chariot Offered to Rāma; The Duel Intensifies

Devanagari script

तेरावणधनुर्मुक्ताःशराःकाञ्चनभूषणाः ।अभ्यवर्तन्तकाकुत्स्थंसर्पाभूत्वामहाविषाः ।।।।

Transliteration

te rāvaṇadhanur-muktāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ | abhyavartanta kākutsthaṁ sarpā bhūtvā mahāviṣāḥ ||

Translation

ศรทั้งหลายที่หลุดจากคันธนูของทศกัณฐ์ ประดับด้วยทองคำ พุ่งเข้าหากากุตสถะ กลายเป็นงูพิษร้ายแรงยิ่ง

Word by Word

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• रावण-धनुः-मुक्ताः: released from Ravana’s bow
• रावण-धनुः-मुक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक) + mukta (कृदन्त; √muc मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘मुक्त’ = released; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रावणस्य धनुः) + तृतीया-सम्बन्धः (धनुषा मुक्ताः)

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• काञ्चन-भूषणाः: gold-adorned
• काञ्चन-भूषणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (काञ्चनं भूषणं येषाम्/काञ्चनभूषणयुक्ताः)

• अभ्यवर्तन्त: approached/advanced toward
• अभ्यवर्तन्त: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (वृत्) उपसर्गः अभि
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kakutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्पाः: serpents
• सर्पाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• महा-विषाः: highly venomous
• महा-विषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् विषं येषाम्)

Context

The shafts released from Ravana's bow were covered with gold and highly venomous like serpents reached near Kakuthsa.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma (Kākutstha)
• Serpents (sarpāḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma is tested by deceptive, fear-inducing force; the righteous must hold to clarity and truth (satya) even when threats take terrifying forms.

What is the narrative situation?

Ravana’s weapon manifests as serpent-like arrows, intensifying danger through supernatural transformation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s fearlessness and steadiness in confronting illusion and lethal threat.