Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 54, Shloka 14

वज्रदंष्ट्रवधः — The Slaying of Vajradaṃṣṭra

Angada’s Duel

Devanagari script

शरैर्विदारयामासकङ्कपत्रैरजिह्मगैः ।बिभेदवानरांस्तत्रसप्ताष्टौनवपञ्चच ।।6.54.14।।विव्याधपरमक्रुद्धोवज्रदंष्ट्रःप्रतापवान् ।

Transliteration

śarair vidārayāmāsa kaṅkapatrair ajihmagaiḥ |

bibheda vānarāṃs tatra saptāṣṭau nava pañca ca ||6.54.14||

vivyādha paramakruddho vajradaṃṣṭraḥ pratāpavān |

Translation

Labis na nagalit, ang magiting na si Vajradaṃṣṭra ay sumugod sa mga vānara doon, tinatamaan sila ng mga panang may balahibo ng buwitre na walang mintis—pito, walo, siyam, at kahit lima nang sabay-sabay.

Word by Word

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विदारयामास: tore/pierced
• विदारयामास: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदारय् (धातु) [विद्/दार् causative sense] + आस् (धातु) (परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect, लिट्), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect (आमास-प्रयोग)

• कङ्कपत्रैः: with buzzard-feathered (arrows)
• कङ्कपत्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्क-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) [कङ्क + पत्र]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): कङ्कस्य पत्रम्

• अजिह्मगैः: unerring/straight-flying
• अजिह्मगैः: विशेषण (Qualifier of शरैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-जिह्म-ग (प्रातिपदिक) [अ + जिह्म + ग]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); नञ्-तत्पुरुष: अजिह्मग = 'not going crooked' (straight-flying)

• बिभेद: split/struck through
• बिभेद: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect, लिट्), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• वानरान्: the monkeys (Vanaras)
• वानरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied count)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (Numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (used as numeral; agrees by sense with implied 'persons')

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied count)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (Numeral), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) प्रथमा (Nominative) द्विवचन (Dual) as standard form for 'eight' in counting

• नव: nine
• नव: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied count)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (Numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (used as numeral)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier of implied count)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (Numeral), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (used as numeral)

• च: and/also
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विव्याध: pierced/struck
• विव्याध: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect, लिट्), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• परमक्रुद्धः: very furious
• परमक्रुद्धः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-क्रुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) [परम + क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त)]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रुद्ध = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) from क्रुध्; कर्मधारय: 'extremely angry'

• वज्रदंष्ट्रः: Vajradaṃṣṭra
• वज्रदंष्ट्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र-दंष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) [वज्र + दंष्ट्र]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: 'vajra-like fanged' (proper name)

• प्रतापवान्: valiant/mighty
• प्रतापवान्: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Struck by monkeys the Rakshasas were in fear. Seeing the Rakshasas Vajraddamshtra's eyes turned red in anger with bow in hand penetrating the Vanara troops terrifying them.

Characters & Entities

• Vajradaṃṣṭra
• vānaras
• arrows (śara)

FAQs

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

Power without restraint becomes destructive: the verse shows how skill (unerring arrows) coupled with anger magnifies harm, implying the dharmic need for self-governance even in justified conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Vajradaṃṣṭra launches a highly effective archery assault, wounding many vānaras in rapid succession.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Technical prowess and battlefield efficiency (archery skill), though overshadowed by the vice of extreme rage.