Shloka 1

युद्धकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः — धूम्राक्षवधश्रवणं, वज्रदंष्ट्रप्रेषणं, अङ्गद-राक्षसयुद्धम्

Ravana Dispatches Vajradamshtra; Portents and Angada’s Assault

Devanagari script

धूम्राक्षंनिहतंश्रुत्वारावणोराक्षसेश्वरः ।क्रोधेनमहताऽविष्टोनिश्श्वसन्नुरगोयथा ।।।।दीर्घमुष्णंविनिश्श्वस्यक्रोधेनकलुषीकृतः ।अब्रवीद्राक्षसंक्रूरंवज्रदंष्ट्रंमहाबलम् ।।।।

Transliteration

dhūmrākṣaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

krodhena mahatāviṣṭo niśśvasann urago yathā ||

dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniśśvasya krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ |

abravīd rākṣasaṃ krūraṃ vajradaṃṣṭraṃ mahābalam ||

Translation

ครั้นได้ยินว่า ธูมรากษะถูกสังหารแล้ว ทศกัณฐ์ผู้เป็นจอมแห่งรากษสก็ถูกความพิโรธใหญ่ครอบงำ พ่นลมหายใจฟ่อดุจอสรพิษ เขาสูดลมหายใจยาวร้อนแรง จิตมัวหมองด้วยโทสะ แล้วตรัสแก่รากษสผู้โหดร้าย วัชรทังษฏระ ผู้มีกำลังมหาศาล

Word by Word

• धूम्राक्षम्: Dhumraksha
• धूम्राक्षम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of hearing-about)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निहतम्: killed
• निहतम्: कर्मविशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + √हन् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; धूम्राक्षम् इति विशेषणम्

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• राक्षस-ईश्वरः: lord of the rakshasas
• राक्षस-ईश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (lord of rakshasas)

• क्रोधेन: by anger
• क्रोधेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महतā: great/violent
• महतā: करणविशेषण (Adjectival to instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-समर्थ, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्रोधेन इति विशेषणम्

• आविष्टः: overcome/possessed
• आविष्टः: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √विश् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• निश्श्वसन्: breathing hard/hissing
• निश्श्वसन्: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निḥ + √श्वस् (धातु) + शतृ (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)

• उरगः: a serpent
• उरगः: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमान

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: उपमान-चिह्न (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा/प्रकारवाचक (as/like)

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: long)

• उष्णम्: hotly
• उष्णम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: hot)

• विनिश्श्वस्य: having exhaled strongly
• विनिश्श्वस्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + निḥ + √श्वस् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• क्रोधेन: by anger
• क्रोधेन: करण (Karaṇa/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कलुषीकृतः: made turbid/foul (agitated)
• कलुषीकृतः: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलुषी √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त; causative/denominative sense: made foul)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• राक्षसम्: to the rakshasa
• राक्षसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of speaking-to)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• क्रूरम्: cruel
• क्रूरम्: कर्मविशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; राक्षसम् इति विशेषणम्

• वज्र-दंष्ट्रम्: Vajradamshtra
• वज्र-दंष्ट्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दंष्ट्रा/दंष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (vajra-like fanged; proper name)

• महाबलम्: mighty
• महाबलम्: कर्मविशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (of great strength), राक्षसम्/वज्रदंष्ट्रम् इति विशेषणम्

Context

The Lord of Rakshasas was overcome with anger on hearing about Dhumraksha's death. He was hissing like a serpent, heaving a deep burning sigh, for having done a dirty task. He spoke to cruel Vajradamshtra of mighty prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Dhūmrākṣa
• Vajradaṃṣṭra
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse warns that uncontrolled krodha (anger) clouds judgment and taints one’s inner state; Dharma requires self-mastery even amid grief and war.

What is the narrative situation?

After Dhūmrākṣa is killed, Rāvaṇa reacts in fury and summons/addresses Vajradaṃṣṭra to continue the war effort.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through negation), the virtue emphasized is restraint (dama) and clarity of mind—qualities absent in Rāvaṇa’s anger-driven response.