Shloka 44

Devanagari script

सराक्षसेन्द्रोहरिसैन्यमध्येनायुध्यमानंनिजघानकञ्चित् ।उपेत्यरामंसधम: कलापी स गर्वितंवाक्यमिदंबभाषे ।।।।

Transliteration

sa rākṣasendro hari-sainya-madhye nāyudhyamānaṃ nijaghāna kañcit | upetya rāmaṃ sa-dhanuḥ kalāpī sa garvitaṃ vākyam idaṃ babhāṣe || 6.71.44 ||

Translation

ท่ามกลางกองทัพวานร เจ้าแห่งรากษสไม่ประหารผู้ใดนอกจากผู้ที่กำลังรบอยู่ แล้วเขาถือคันศร มีแล่งศรสะพายหลัง เข้าไปหา พระราม และกล่าววาจาอันโอหังนี้

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राक्षसेन्द्रः: the rakshasa-lord
• राक्षसेन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa-indra (प्रातिपदिक; राक्षस + इन्द्र)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः (lord of rakshasas)

• हरिसैन्यमध्ये: in the midst of the monkey army
• हरिसैन्यमध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari-sainya-madhya (प्रातिपदिक; हरि + सैन्य + मध्य)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; nested tatpurusha: हरिणां सैन्यम्, तस्य मध्ये

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• आयुध्यमानम्: fighting
• आयुध्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yudh (धातु)
• Form: Present participle Ātmanepada (शतृ/शानच्), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular, Masculine/Neuter form used as object-qualifier; here qualifies कञ्चित् (someone)

• निजघान: struck down
• निजघान: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• कञ्चित्: someone
• कञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun (अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम), Accusative, Singular, Masculine

• उपेत्य: having approached
• उपेत्य: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; ल्यप्), indicates prior action

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सधमः: the vile one
• सधमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; superlative/pejorative sense (base adjective)

• कलापी: quiver-bearer
• कलापी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; here used as epithet (one with quiver)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Nominative, Singular (re-emphatic)

• गर्वितम्: proud
• गर्वितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garvita (प्रातिपदिक; from गर्व)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies वाक्यम्

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies वाक्यम्

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular

Context

The Rakshasa lord, wielding a weapon in the midst of the monkey army, indeed did not strike any, but armed with bow and quiver went with pride towards Rama and spoke.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya (contextual; the challenger)
• Rāma
• Rākṣasendra (lord among rākṣasas)
• Dhanuḥ (bow)

FAQs

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

A key war-ethic is stated: one should not strike those who are not engaged in fighting. Even an adversary may observe limited battlefield propriety, though pride can still corrupt intent.

What is the narrative situation?

After pressing the Vānara forces, the rākṣasa leader refrains from killing noncombatants and instead advances to confront Rāma directly, issuing a boastful challenge.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A partial adherence to maryādā (combat rules)—restraint toward noncombatants—set beside the flaw of garva (arrogance).