Shloka 21

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

शिखरैर्विकिरामैनांलङ्कांमुष्टभिरेववा ।इतिस्मदधिरेसर्वेमनांसिहरिपुङ्गवाः ।।।।

Transliteration

śikharair vikirāma enāṁ laṅkāṁ muṣṭabhir eva vā | iti sma dadhire sarve manāṁsi haripuṅgavāḥ ||

Translation

تمام سردارانِ وानر نے دل میں یہ عزم باندھا: “ہم لنکا کو یا تو پہاڑوں کی چوٹیوں سے ریزہ ریزہ کر دیں گے، یا اپنے ننگے مُکّوں ہی سے اسے پاش پاش کر ڈالیں گے۔”

Word by Word

• śikharaiḥ: with peaks
• śikharaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vikirāma: they would scatter/crush (as a resolve)
• vikirāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-kṝ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); (they) resolved/said 'we will scatter/crush' (contextual)

• enām: this (her/it)
• enām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• laṅkām: Laṅkā
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to enām

• muṣṭabhiḥ: with fists
• muṣṭabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-अव्यय)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• sma: indeed/then
• sma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle indicating recollection/emphasis (स्म-अव्यय)

• dadhire: they held/formed
• dadhire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with haripuṅgavāḥ

• manāṃsi: minds/intentions
• manāṃsi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• haripuṅgavāḥ: vanara leaders
• haripuṅgavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): hari-puṅgava = 'bull among monkeys' (leaders); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

Thus resolved the Vanara leaders in their mind to crush Lanka with its mountain peaks into powder with their bare fists, indeed.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Vanara leaders (Haripuṅgavas)
• mountain peaks

FAQs

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

Dharma as unwavering commitment to a just mission—steadfast intention to remove oppression, even at personal cost.

What is the narrative situation?

The Vanara chiefs internally affirm their battle-intent and readiness to destroy Laṅkā’s defences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Utsāha (heroic enthusiasm) and unity of purpose among the leaders.