Shloka 17

मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्

The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury

Devanagari script

प्रभ्रष्टोऽथकरात्तस्यप्रतोदस्सारथेस्तदा ।पपातसहसादैवाद्ध्वजस्तस्यतुरक्षसः ।।।।

Transliteration

prabhraṣṭo 'tha karāt tasya pratodaḥ sārathes tadā |

papāta sahasā daivād dhvajas tasya tu rakṣasaḥ ||

Translation

ครั้นนั้นประตอด (แส้กระตุ้นม้า) ของสารถีก็หลุดจากมือในทันใด และธงชัยของยักษ์ตนนั้น ด้วยอำนาจแห่งชะตาที่ผันผวนฉับพลัน ก็ร่วงลงทันที—เป็นลางอัปมงคล

Word by Word

• प्रभ्रष्टः: slipped/fell off
• प्रभ्रष्टः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+भ्रंश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘fallen off/slipped’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• करात्: from the hand
• करात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन

• प्रतोदः: whip/goad
• प्रतोदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• सारथेः: of the charioteer
• सारथेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• दैवात्: by fate
• दैवात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन; ‘by fate/from divine will’

• ध्वजः: banner/standard
• ध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• रक्षसः: of the Rakshasa
• रक्षसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन

Context

Those night rangers who resembled elephants, clouds, and buffaloes in colour, who were skilled in warfare, wounded by maces and swords, moved to and from saying" I shall fight",।। ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēaṣṭasaptatitamassargaḥ ।।This is the end of the seventy-eighth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Charioteer (sārathi)
• Banner/standard (dhvaja)
• Rakṣasa forces (context: Makarākṣa’s departure)

FAQs

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

The epic uses portents to suggest moral causality: adharma invites disorder; Dharma aligns action with a higher order (ṛta), while wrongdoing meets resistance even from fate.

What is the narrative situation?

As the Rakṣasa side advances, inauspicious signs appear—equipment fails and the banner falls.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is humility before fate and moral law—recognizing warnings and correcting course.