Shloka 13

वज्रदंष्ट्रवधः — The Slaying of Vajradaṃṣṭra

Angada’s Duel

Devanagari script

राक्षसान्भयवित्रस्तान्हन्यमानान् प्लवङ्गमैः ।।6.54.12।।दृष्टवासरोषताम्राक्षोवज्रदंष्ट्रःप्रतापवान् ।प्रविवेशधनुष्पाणिस्त्रासयन्हरिवाहिनीम् ।।6.54.13।।

Transliteration

rākṣasān bhayavitrastān hanyamānān plavaṅgamaiḥ ||6.54.12||

dṛṣṭvā sa roṣatāmrākṣo vajradaṃṣṭraḥ pratāpavān |

praviveśa dhanuṣpāṇis trāsayan harivāhinīm ||6.54.13||

Translation

เมื่อเห็นเหล่ารากษสตื่นตระหนกและถูกเหล่าลิงสังหาร วัชรทัมษฏระผู้กล้าหาญ ซึ่งดวงตาแดงก่ำด้วยความโกรธ จึงถือธนูบุกเข้าไปในกองทัพวานร สร้างความหวาดกลัวแก่ฝูงลิง

Word by Word

• राक्षसान्: Rakshasas
• राक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भयवित्रस्तान्: terrified
• भयवित्रस्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + वित्रस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—भयेन वित्रस्तान् (terrified by fear)

• हन्यमानान्: being slain
• हन्यमानान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्; passive present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'being struck/slain'

• प्लवङ्गमैः: by the monkeys (Vanaras)
• प्लवङ्गमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रोषताम्राक्षः: with eyes reddened by anger
• रोषताम्राक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोष (प्रातिपदिक) + ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—रोषेण ताम्रे अक्षिणी यस्य (whose eyes are copper-red with anger)

• वज्रदंष्ट्रः: Vajradaṃṣṭra
• वज्रदंष्ट्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (proper epithet/name)

• प्रतापवान्: valiant, powerful
• प्रतापवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• धनुष्पाणिः: bow-in-hand
• धनुष्पाणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—धनुः पाणौ यस्य (having a bow in hand)

• त्रासयन्: terrifying
• त्रासयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रासय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (terrifying)

• हरिवाहिनीम्: the Vanara army
• हरिवाहिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—हरीणां वाहिनी (army of the Vanaras)

Context

Thereafter Rakshasas were killed by Vanaras as Vajradamshtra kept looking at them and the Rakshasas ran from there.

Characters & Entities

• Vajradaṃṣṭra
• rākṣasas
• plavaṅgamas (vānaras/monkeys)
• harivāhinī (monkey host)
• dhanuḥ (bow)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts duty with rage: a warrior’s intervention to protect his side is a form of kṣātra-dharma, yet being driven by uncontrolled anger is portrayed as a destabilizing force that spreads fear.

What is the narrative situation?

Rākṣasa troops are faltering under vānaras’ attacks; Vajradaṃṣṭra responds by charging into the vānaras with his bow to turn the tide.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial boldness and initiative (pratāpa) in Vajradaṃṣṭra, though colored by the flaw of krodha.