Shloka 15

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

धनूंषिचास्यसज्जानिहेमपृष्ठानिसर्वशः ।शोभयन्तिरथश्रेष्ठंशक्रचापमिवाम्बरम् ।।।।

Transliteration

dhanūṃṣi cāsya sajjāni hemapṛṣṭhāni sarvaśaḥ | śobhayanti rathaśreṣṭhaṃ śakracāpam ivāmbaram ||

Translation

และคันศรที่เตรียมพร้อมของเขา—มีแผ่นทองรองด้านหลังรอบด้าน—ยิ่งประดับรถศึกอันประเสริฐนั้น งามดุจคันธนูของพระอินทร์คือรุ้งกินน้ำที่แต่งแต้มท้องฟ้า

Word by Word

• धनूंषि: bows
• धनूंषि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of him/his
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सज्जानि: ready/strung
• सज्जानि: कर्ता-विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सज्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (धनूंषि)

• हेम-पृष्ठानि: gold-backed
• हेम-पृष्ठानि: कर्ता-विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (धनूंषि)

• सर्वशः: on all sides/entirely
• सर्वशः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• शोभयन्ति: adorn
• शोभयन्ति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्/शोभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative sense ‘make splendid’

• रथ-श्रेष्ठम्: the excellent chariot
• रथ-श्रेष्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शक्र-चापम्: Indra's bow (rainbow)
• शक्र-चापम्: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• अम्बरम्: the sky
• अम्बरम्: उपमेय (Upameya/thing compared)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"His bows decorated with gold on the back, are like a rainbow in the sky on all sides and makes the chariot excellent."

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya (implied)
• Śakra (Indra)
• bows (dhanus)
• chariot (ratha)

FAQs

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

Dharma distinguishes outer splendor from inner righteousness: beauty and power can belong to adharma-aligned forces too, so judgment must rest on truth and conduct, not spectacle.

What is the narrative situation?

The enemy’s chariot and weaponry are described as dazzling, using the rainbow as an image of radiant display.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment—seeing beyond ornamentation to the moral alignment of the combatant.