Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 39

षट्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Ravana Deploys Five Generals; Hanuman Destroys the Commanders and the Remaining Host

Devanagari script

ततः कपिस्तान्ध्वजिनीपतीन् रणे निहत्य वीरान्सबलान्सवाहनान्।समीक्ष्य वीरः परिगृह्य तोरणं कृतक्षणः काल इव प्रजाक्षये।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ kapis tān dhvajinīpatīn raṇe nihatya vīrān sabalān savāhanān |

samīkṣya vīraḥ parigṛhya toraṇaṃ kṛtakṣaṇaḥ kāla iva prajākṣaye ||

Translation

تب وہ دلیر کپि، جنگ میں اُن جھنڈہ بردار سالاروں کو—اپنے لشکروں اور سواریوں سمیت—قتل کر کے، میدان کو دیکھتا ہوا، پھر سے توَرَن کو تھام کر، جانداروں کی ہلاکت کے وقت کال کی مانند مستعد کھڑا ہو گیا۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb = "then"

• kapīn: monkeys
• kapīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; object-group (those monkeys/monkey-warriors)

• tān: those
• tān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally; Masculine, Accusative, Plural; qualifying dhvajinīpatīn/vīrān

• dhvajinīpatīn: army chiefs
• dhvajinīpatīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvajinī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: "dhvajinyāḥ pati" (army-chief)

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• nihatya: having killed
• nihatya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√han (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) = "having slain"

• vīrān: heroes
• vīrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; in apposition to dhvajinīpatīn

• sa-balān: along with their army
• sa-balān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; avyayībhāva: "balena saha" = "with their forces"

• sa-vāhanān: along with their vehicles
• sa-vāhanān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; avyayībhāva: "vāhanaiḥ saha" = "with their vehicles/mounts"

• samīkṣya: having surveyed
• samīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) = "having looked/considered"

• vīraḥ: the hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• parigṛhya: having grasped
• parigṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) = "having seized/held"

• toraṇam: archway/gate
• toraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• kṛtakṣaṇaḥ: having fixed his resolve/time
• kṛtakṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ + kta) + kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; bahuvrīhi: "kṛtaḥ kṣaṇaḥ (niścayaḥ/avasaraḥ) yena" = "one who has fixed his moment/resolve"

• kālaḥ: Time/Death
• kālaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, comparative particle

• prajākṣaye: at the destruction of beings
• prajākṣaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: "prajānāṃ kṣayaḥ"; sense: "at the destruction of creatures"

Context

Then the heroic monkey having killed the army generals and their army and destroyed their vehicles in war came back to the archway after reviewing and stood like the time-spirit bent upon the destruction of humanity.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē ṣaṭcatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fortysixth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Kāla (Time, personified)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as inexorable consequence: when adharma persists, corrective force can appear ‘like Time’—impersonal, unstoppable, and directed at ending harm.

What is the narrative situation?

After killing the commanders and wrecking their forces and vehicles, Hanumān returns to the gateway-arch, assesses the situation, and stands poised for further action.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and readiness (apramāda): he reviews the field and reclaims a strategic position.