Shloka 21

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तुमकराक्षोमहाबलः ।बाणौघानमुचत्तस्मैराघवायरणाजिरे ।।।।

Transliteration

rāghaveṇaivam uktaḥ tu makarākṣo mahābalaḥ |

bāṇaughān amucat tasmai rāghavāya raṇājire ||

Translation

راغھو کی اس للکار کو سن کر، میدانِ جنگ میں مہابلی مکرَاکش نے راما (راغھو) پر تیروں کی گھنی بوچھاڑ چھوڑ دی۔

Word by Word

• rāghaveṇa: by Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghaveṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकार-अव्यय)

• uktaḥ: having been spoken to
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of subsequent action) / Predicative
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); agrees with makarākṣaḥ

• tu: but/then
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/अन्वयार्थक)

• makarākṣaḥ: Makarākṣa
• makarākṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makarākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) proper name ‘crocodile-eyed’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• mahābalaḥ: mighty
• mahābalaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘great-strength’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); qualifies makarākṣaḥ

• bāṇaughān: volleys of arrows
• bāṇaughān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa-ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘flood/stream of arrows’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• amucat: released
• amucat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muñc (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्) imperfect/past, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular (एकवचन)

• rāghavāya: to Rāghava
• rāghavāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular (एकवचन)

• raṇājire: in the battlefield
• raṇājire: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa-ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘battlefield’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Spoken in that manner by Raghava in the battlefield, Maka raksha, endowed with extraordinary strength, released a volley of arrows on Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Makarākṣa
• battlefield (raṇājira)

FAQs

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

It marks the shift from speech to action, reflecting the epic’s insistence that conflict must be met with disciplined response, not disorder.

What is the narrative situation?

Makarākṣa answers Rāma’s rebuke by initiating an arrow assault.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness under threat—engaging the challenge without hesitation.