Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 17

प्रहस्तनिर्याणम्

Prahasta’s Departure and the Muster of the Rakshasa Host

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वातुभर्तारंरावणंवाहिनीपतिः ।।।।उवाचेदंबलाध्यक्षान्प्रहस्तःपुरतःस्थितान् ।

Transliteration

evam uktvā tu bhartāraṃ rāvaṇaṃ vāhinīpatiḥ | uvācedaṃ balādhyakṣān prahastaḥ purataḥ sthitān || 6.57.17 ||

Translation

ครั้นกล่าวดังนี้ต่อเจ้านายคือทศกัณฐ์แล้ว ประหัสตะ ผู้เป็นแม่ทัพแห่งกองทัพ ก็กล่าวถ้อยคำนี้แก่บรรดาหัวหน้ากำลังที่ยืนอยู่เบื้องหน้า

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having said’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/conjunction)

• भर्तारम्: lord/protector (as object addressed/mentioned)
• भर्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; भर्तारम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण/अपपद-सम्बन्ध (apposition)

• वाहिनीपतिः: commander of the army
• वाहिनीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāhinī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vāhinīyāḥ patiḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इदम्: this (statement)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; वाक्यस्य कर्मरूपेण (object: ‘this’)

• बलाध्यक्षान्: to the commanders of the troops
• बलाध्यक्षान्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (balasya adhyakṣāḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रहस्तः: Prahastha
• प्रहस्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; वाहिनीपतिः इत्यस्य विशेषण/अपपद-सम्बन्ध (apposition)

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

• स्थितान्: standing, stationed
• स्थितान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बलाध्यक्षान् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण

Context

Prahastha, having submitted to his king Ravana in that way, the Commander-in-Chief of the army commanded the army that stood before him.

Characters & Entities

• Prahasta
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma as duty-in-action: once a decision is made, leaders must organize responsibly and communicate clearly within the chain of command.

What is the narrative situation?

After addressing Rāvaṇa, Prahasta turns to the assembled commanders to issue operational directions for the battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Leadership and decisiveness—coordinating others for collective action.