Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 55

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

पश्यमेनिशितान्बाणानरिदर्पनिषूदनान् ।ईश्वरायुधसङ्काशांस्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणान् ।।।।

Transliteration

paśya me niśitān bāṇān aridarpaniṣūdanān | īśvarāyudhasaṅkāśāṃs taptakāñcanabhūṣaṇān ||

Translation

Masdan mo ang aking matutulis na palaso, na pumupuksa sa pagmamataas ng kaaway; wari’y mga sandata ng Panginoon, pinalamutian ng kumikislap na ginituang pinainit sa apoy.

Word by Word

• paśya: see
• paśya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive: my)

• niśitān: sharp
• niśitān: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √śā/√niś)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अर्थः = तीक्ष्णान् (sharp)

• bāṇān: arrows
• bāṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ari-darpa-niṣūdanān: destroyers of enemies' pride
• ari-darpa-niṣūdanān: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + darpa (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣūdana (प्रातिपदिक from √sūd)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (अरिणां दर्पस्य निषूदनाः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to bāṇān)

• īśvara-āyudha-saṅkāśān: like the Lord's weapon
• īśvara-āyudha-saṅkāśān: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (ईश्वरस्य आयुधवत् सङ्काशाः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• tapta-kāñcana-bhūṣaṇān: adorned with heated/polished gold
• tapta-kāñcana-bhūṣaṇān: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapta (कृदन्त, √tap धातु) + kāñcana (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (तप्तकाञ्चनेन भूषणं येषाम्/तप्तकाञ्चनभूषिताः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; tapta = भूतकृदन्त (PPP)

Context

"See my sharp shafts capable of reducing enemy's pride like Ishwara's trident, ornamented with polished gold."

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Lakṣmaṇa
• arrows
• Īśvara (the Lord, as comparison)

FAQs

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

Invoking the divine to glorify one’s violence can be a misuse of sacred language; dharma requires humility and truth, not sacralizing one’s aggression through inflated comparisons.

What is the narrative situation?

Atikāya displays his weaponry and continues psychological warfare through grand comparisons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse primarily showcases Atikāya’s pride; it indirectly emphasizes the need for inner restraint and सत्य (truthfulness) in speech.