Shloka 19

युद्धलक्षण-निमित्तदर्शनं तथा लङ्काद्वारव्यूहः

War Omens and the Encirclement of Lanka’s Gates

Devanagari script

दृश्यन्तेनयथावच्छनक्षत्राण्यभिवर्तते ।युगान्तमिवलोकस्यपश्यलक्ष्मण शंसति ।।6.41.19।।

Transliteration

dṛśyante na yathāvac ca nakṣatrāṇy abhivartate | yugāntam iva lokasya paśya lakṣmaṇa śaṁsati ||

Translation

Tingnan mo, Lakṣmaṇa: ang mga bituin ay hindi lumilitaw ayon sa nararapat, at ang langit ay tila nalalambungan at nababagabag—parang tanda na nagpapahayag ng wakas ng daigdig.

Word by Word

• dṛśyante: are visible/appear
• dṛśyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Plural; passive sense ‘are seen/appear’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation

• yathāvat: as usual/properly
• yathāvat: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘properly/as usual’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• nakṣatrāṇi: stars
• nakṣatrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Plural

• abhivartate: turns toward/overcomes; (here) becomes obscured/covered
• abhivartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular

• yugāntam: the end of an age
• yugāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘yugasya antaḥ’; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of implied ‘śaṃsati’/indicates

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; simile particle (उपमा-द्योतक)

• lokasya: of the world
• lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• paśya: see!
• paśya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• lakṣmaṇa: O Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• śaṃsati: indicates/portends
• śaṃsati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

Context

"Just as the spots on the moon, the stars are also dirty and not visible. It forebodes the end of the universe Lakshmana!"

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Nakṣatra (stars)

FAQs

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

Dharma is alignment with ṛta (cosmic order): disturbances in nature are read as warnings, urging disciplined, righteous preparedness rather than complacency.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues describing ominous portents to Lakṣmaṇa before the impending battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alertness and discernment—recognizing abnormal conditions and responding with seriousness.