Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 75

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

चिन्तयामासचाश्वास्यविमृश्य च महाबलः ।।।।साधुबाणनिपातेनश्लाघनीयोऽसिमेरिपुः ।

Transliteration

cintayāmāsa cāśvāsya vimṛśya ca mahābalaḥ | sādhu bāṇanipātena ślāghanīyo 'si me ripuḥ ||

Translation

Huminga siyang muli at nagmuni-muni ang makapangyarihan: “Mabuti! Sa pagbagsak ng iyong mga palaso, ikaw ay kaaway na karapat-dapat purihin sa aking paningin.”

Word by Word

• cintayāmāsa: pondered
• cintayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्/परस्मैपद-परिप्रयोग), 3rd Person, Singular; 'pondered'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• āśvāsya: having regained composure
• āśvāsya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āśvāsya (कृदन्त, √śvas/√śvās धातु with ā-)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'having recovered/comforted himself'

• vimṛśya: having reflected
• vimṛśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vimṛśya (कृदन्त, √mṛś धातु with vi-)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), 'having reflected'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• mahā-balaḥ: the mighty one
• mahā-balaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: 'great-strength (one)'

• sādhu: well
• sādhu: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial indeclinable (प्रशंसा/रीति) meaning 'well, rightly'

• bāṇa-nipātena: by the arrow’s strike
• bāṇa-nipātena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + nipāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'fall/impact of an arrow'

• ślāghanīyaḥ: praiseworthy
• ślāghanīyaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślāghanīya (कृदन्त, √ślagh धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; potential passive participle (अनीयर्) 'worthy to be praised'

• asi: are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic pronoun

• ripuḥ: enemy
• ripuḥ: Sambodhyam/Pratipādya (सम्बोधनार्थ/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; in apposition to 'tvam' understood

Context

Recovering from the hurt and reflecting, the Rakshasa contemplated the course of action, and said 'By releasing the arrow on me you are an enemy worthy of praise."

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Satya and honor even amid hostility: acknowledging an opponent’s excellence reflects a warrior ethic where truthfulness and respect are not abandoned in conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

After being struck and shaken, Atikāya regains composure and addresses Lakṣmaṇa, praising his effective archery while still treating him as an enemy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthful acknowledgment) and a form of kṣātra-maryādā (warrior propriety): the capacity to respect merit even in an adversary.