Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 94, Shloka 23

रावणस्य सभाप्रवेशः — रामस्य शरवृष्ट्या राक्षससेनाविनाशः

Ravana Enters Council; Rama’s Arrow-Storm Destroys the Rakshasa Host

Devanagari script

प्रहरन्तंशरीरेषु न तेपश्यन्तिराघवम् ।इन्द्रियार्थेषुतिष्ठन्तंभूतात्मानमिवप्रजाः ।।।।

Transliteration

praharantaṃ śarīreṣu na te paśyanti rāghavam |

indriyārtheṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ bhūtātmānam iva prajāḥ ||

Translation

Kahit tinatamaan na ang kanilang mga katawan, hindi nila makita si Rāghava—gaya ng mga tao na nahuhumaling sa mga bagay ng pandama at hindi namamalayan ang panloob na Sarili na nananahan sa lahat ng nilalang.

Word by Word

• प्रहरन्तम्: striking
• प्रहरन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying ‘राघवम्’

• शरीरेषु: in bodies
• शरीरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• राघवम्: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इन्द्रियार्थेषु: in sense-objects
• इन्द्रियार्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रियार्थ (प्रातिपदिक: इन्द्रिय + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: इन्द्रियाणाम् अर्थाः)

• तिष्ठन्तम्: abiding/standing
• तिष्ठन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying ‘भूतात्मानम्’

• भूतात्मानम्: the inner self of beings
• भूतात्मानम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: भूत + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान; समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भूतानाम् आत्मा)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• प्रजाः: people/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; subject of implied comparison

Context

Just as created beings experience their senses and do not perceive their soul, the army experienced the hitting of Raghava by their senses but were not able to perceive him who was hitting them.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Attachment to sensory appearances clouds discernment; dharma is supported by clarity of perception—seeing causes, not merely feeling effects.

What is the narrative situation?

The enemy feels the blows landing on their bodies but cannot locate the striker, and the narrator explains this with a spiritual analogy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s subtle mastery—his presence is effective yet elusive, suggesting disciplined control rather than chaotic violence.