Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 9

लङ्काप्राकारारोहणम् / Assault on Lanka’s Ramparts and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

पीड्यमानांसधर्मात्मावैदेहीमनुचिन्तयन् ।क्षिप्रमाज्ञापयामासवानरान्द्विषतांवधे ।।।।

Transliteration

pīḍyamānāṃ sa dharmātmā vaidehīm anucintayan |

kṣipram ājñāpayāmāsa vānarān dviṣatāṃ vadhe ||

Translation

Ang dharmātman na iyon, laging iniisip ang nagdurusang Vaidehī, ay agad na nag-utos sa mga Vānara na lipulin ang mapanlaban na kaaway.

Word by Word

• pīḍyamānām: being tormented
• pīḍyamānām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pīḍ (धातु) > pīḍyamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifies vaidehīm

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• dharma-ātmā: righteous-souled
• dharma-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; bahuvrīhi: dharmaḥ ātmā yasya saḥ

• vaidehīm: Vaidehi (Sita)
• vaidehīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• anucintayan: thinking of
• anucintayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu√cint (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with saḥ

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipram (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (manner: quickly)

• ājñāpayāmāsa: ordered
• ājñāpayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु) causative ājñāpayati; periphrastic perfect from ājñāpay (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्, परस्मैपद), 3rd person, Singular; causative sense 'caused to be ordered/commanded' = 'ordered'

• vānarān: the Vanaras
• vānarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• dviṣatām: of the enemies
• dviṣatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dviṣat (√dviṣ, शतृ-कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle used as noun 'enemies'; Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• vadhe: for the killing
• vadhe: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; purpose/occasion sense

Context

The son of Dasaratha saw Lanka decorated with flags and posts and thinking of Sita he became very worried.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Vānaras
• Enemies (Rākṣasas implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma as protective justice: the command to fight arises from the duty to end oppression and rescue the innocent, not from personal cruelty.

What is the narrative situation?

Moved by Sītā’s suffering, Rāma initiates immediate military action by instructing the Vānara forces to engage and destroy the enemy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Swift, duty-bound leadership—decisive action rooted in concern for the afflicted.