Shloka 21

इन्द्रजितो यज्ञानुष्ठानं अन्तर्धानं च

Indrajit’s Rite and the Invisible Assault

Devanagari script

इमौतावितिसञ्चिन्त्यसज्जंकृत्वा च कार्मुकम् ।सन्ततानेषुधाराभिःपर्जन्यइववृष्टिमान् ।।।।

Transliteration

imau tāv iti sañcintya sajjaṃ kṛtvā ca kārmukam | santatāna iṣu-dhārābhiḥ parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān || 6.80.21 ||

Translation

ครั้นคิดว่า “นี่แหละคือสององค์นั้น” เขาก็เตรียมคันศรให้พร้อม แล้วระดมสายธารศรอย่างไม่ขาดสาย ดุจเมฆฝนที่อุ้มฝนโปรยปรายหนักหน่วง

Word by Word

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (correlative)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/विचार-समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय

• सञ्चिन्त्य: having reflected
• सञ्चिन्त्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having considered)

• सज्जम्: ready/strung
• सज्जम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सज्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of कार्मुकम्)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having made)

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

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सन्ततान: stretched/extended (sent forth)
• सन्ततान: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इषुधाराभिः: with streams of arrows
• इषुधाराभिः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (streams of arrows)

• पर्जन्यः: a rain-cloud
• पर्जन्यः: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• वृष्टिमान्: rain-bearing
• वृष्टिमान्: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective: 'having rain')

Context

Recognising the two princes, stringing his bow, and fastening, affixing he showered a continuous flow of arrows like rain from rain clouds and covered them.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (implied as the actor)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bow
• Arrows

FAQs

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

The verse implicitly contrasts rightful courage with the misuse of power: recognition of opponents should lead to honorable combat, yet the broader episode frames Indrajit’s method as ethically questionable due to concealment.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit identifies Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and initiates a heavy, continuous arrow-shower against them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness and martial efficiency (śaurya with tactical speed), though the surrounding narrative problematizes the fairness of the tactic.