Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 101, Shloka 14

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

तै: स्सायकैर्महावेगैरावणस्यमहाद्युति ।ध्वजंमनुष्यशीर्षंतुतस्यचिच्छेदनैकधा ।।।।

Transliteration

taiḥ sāyakair mahāvegair rāvaṇasya mahādyutiḥ | dhvajaṃ manuṣyaśīrṣaṃ tu tasya ciccheda naikadhā ||

Translation

Sa mga palasong yaon na ubod-bilis at ubod-lakas, ang maningning na Lakṣmaṇa ay pinagpira-piraso ang watawat ni Rāvaṇa, yaong may palamuting ulo ng tao.

Word by Word

• तैः: by those
• तैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महावेगैः: of great speed
• महावेगैः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग (प्रातिपदिक: महा + वेग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) सायकैः इति

• रावणस्य: of Ravana
• रावणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाद्युतिः: the greatly radiant one
• महाद्युतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्युति (प्रातिपदिक: महा + द्युति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• मनुष्यशीर्षम्: a human head (device)
• मनुष्यशीर्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्यशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक: मनुष्य + शीर्ष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); ध्वजम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य/अपपद-सम्बन्ध (apposition)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (Discourse particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrast/emphasis)

• तस्य: his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिच्छेद: cut/sundered
• चिच्छेद: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• नैकधा: into many parts
• नैकधा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न + एकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), न-निषेधपूर्वक (negation-prefix); अर्थः: 'not in one way' = 'into many pieces'

Context

Celebrated, mighty Lakshmana struck with his arrows, that hit the head of the charioteer of night ranger, which was glittering with earrings.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Dhvaja (banner/standard)

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects terror-symbolism and cruelty as instruments of power; the destruction of such a banner signals the undoing of fear-based dominance.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa targets Rāvaṇa’s standard and destroys it, undermining his martial display and morale.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic courage—Lakṣmaṇa strikes not only bodies but also the psychological emblems of adharma.