Shloka 23

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

तद्युद्धमभवत्तत्रसमेत्यान्योन्यमोजसा ।खरराक्षसपुत्रस्यसूनोर्धशरथस्य च ।।।।

Transliteration

tad yuddham abhavat tatra sametyānyonyam ojasā |

khara-rākṣasa-putrasya sūnor daśarathasya ca ||

Translation

وہاں جب دونوں قوت کے ساتھ آمنے سامنے آئے تو خَر راکشس کے پُتر اور دشرَتھ کے پُتر کے درمیان نہایت سخت جنگ چھڑ گئی۔

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative qualifying yuddham

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• abhavat: happened/arose
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्) imperfect/past, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश-अव्यय)

• sametya: having met
• sametya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-i (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ‘having met/coming together’

• anyonyam: each other
• anyonyam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Reciprocal adverbial accusative (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग); used as ‘each other’

• ojasā: with force/fiercely
• ojasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• khara-rākṣasa-putrasya: of Khara’s rākṣasa-son
• khara-rākṣasa-putrasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक) + rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘son of Khara the rākṣasa’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन)

• sūnoḥ: of the son
• sūnoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūnu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular (एकवचन)

• daśarathasya: of Daśaratha
• daśarathasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठī) Singular (एकवचन)

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

Context

On meeting one another between Khara's son and Dasharatha's son a fierce comb at happened.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Khara
• Makarākṣa

FAQs

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

The verse frames battle as a direct encounter of lineages and choices: nobility is measured by adherence to dharma, not merely by birth.

What is the narrative situation?

The duel formally intensifies as the two principal fighters close in and engage at full force.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Valor (vīrya) and steadfastness in confronting adharma directly.