Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 4

सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः (Yuddha Kāṇḍa 97): Sugrīva’s Onslaught and the Fall of Virūpākṣa

Devanagari script

प्लवङ्गनामनीकानिमहाभ्राणीवमारुतः ।सययौसमरेतस्मिन्विधमन्रावणश्शरैः ।।।।

Transliteration

plavaṅganām anīkāni mahābhrāṇīva mārutaḥ |

sa yayau samare tasmin vidhaman rāvaṇaśśaraiḥ ||

Translation

ในศึกนั้น กองแถวของเหล่าวานรถูกศรของราวณะทำให้แตกกระจาย ดุจมวลเมฆใหญ่ถูกลมพัดแหวกให้กระจัดกระจาย

Word by Word

• प्लवङ्गनाम्: of the monkeys (Vanaras)
• प्लवङ्गनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अनीकानि: armies/ranks
• अनीकानि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• महाभ्राणि: great clouds
• महाभ्राणि: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-भ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (महान्ति अभ्राणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; उपमान

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक

• मारुतः: wind
• मारुतः: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ययौ: went/advanced
• ययौ: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विधमन्: scattering, blowing away
• विधमन्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√ध्मा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण (rāvaṇaḥ)

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण

Context

The Vanaras witnessed Virupaksha who had misshapen eyes, turning his eyeballs in anger, foaming blood flowing from nostrils.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vānaras (Plavaṅgas)

FAQs

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

Dharma here highlights steadiness under adversity: even when forces are scattered by overwhelming power, the righteous cause requires regrouping and perseverance rather than surrender.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s assault disrupts the vānaras’ formations; the battlefield momentum briefly turns through sheer force of weaponry.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective resilience—an implied call for the vānaras to recover discipline and courage after being dispersed.