Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 54, Shloka 20

वज्रदंष्ट्रवधः — The Slaying of Vajradaṃṣṭra

Angada’s Duel

Devanagari script

दृष्टापतन्तंतंवृक्षमसम्भ्रान्तश्चराक्षसः ।।6.54.20।।चिच्छेदबहुधासोऽपिमथितःप्रादतद्भुवि ।

Transliteration

dṛṣṭāpatantaṃ taṃ vṛkṣam asambhrāntaś ca rākṣasaḥ |

ciccheda bahudhā so ’pi mathitaḥ prāpatad bhuvi ||6.54.20||

Translation

Nang makita ng rākṣasa ang punong iyon na rumaragasa patungo sa kanya, hindi siya natinag; pinira-piraso niya ito, at ang nagkadurug-durog na masa ay bumagsak sa lupa.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive)

• apatantam: falling (towards him)
• apatantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apa-√pat (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), ‘अपतन्तम्’ = ‘falling/coming down’

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vṛkṣam: tree
• vṛkṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• asambhrāntaḥ: unperturbed
• asambhrāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sambhrānta (कृदन्त; √bhram धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध, भूतकृदन्त (क्त) अर्थे ‘अव्याकुलः’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• rākṣasaḥ: the rākṣasa
• rākṣasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ciccheda: cut to pieces
• ciccheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bahudhā: in many pieces / many times
• bahudhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: ‘many ways’)

• saḥ: it/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• mathitaḥ: shattered/struck (and thus)
• mathitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mathita (कृदन्त; √math धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• prāpatat: fell
• prāpatat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√pat (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Context

That Rakshasa (Vajradamshtra) seeing the tree coming towards him was not bewildered. He shattered it into pieces, and it fell on the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Vajradaṃṣṭra
• Aṅgada
• tree (vṛkṣa)
• ground (bhūmi)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates mental steadiness (dhairya) as a battlefield virtue; even in conflict, clarity of mind prevents reckless or unjust action.

What is the narrative situation?

Vajradaṃṣṭra calmly counters Aṅgada’s tree-attack by breaking it apart mid-action so it drops harmlessly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Presence of mind—remaining unbewildered while responding effectively to danger.