Shloka 16

युद्धकाण्डे अष्टमः सर्गः — राक्षससभा-युद्धपरामर्शः

War-Council Boasts and Stratagems

Devanagari script

ततोवयमितस्तूर्णंशूलशक्तिगदाधराः ।चापबाणासिहस्ताश्चत्वरितास्तत्रयामहे ।।6.8.16।।

Transliteration

tato vayam itas tūrṇaṃ śūlaśaktigadādharāḥ |

cāpabāṇāsihastāś ca tvaritās tatra yāmahe ||6.8.16||

Translation

پھر ہم یہاں سے فوراً اُس مقام کو روانہ ہوں گے—ترشول، نیزے اور گدائیں اٹھائے ہوئے؛ کمان، تیر اور تلوار ہاتھ میں لیے—جنگ کی طرف تیزی سے بڑھیں گے۔

Word by Word

• ākāśe: in the sky
• ākāśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• gaṇaśaḥ: in groups
• gaṇaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gaṇaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक) = in groups

• sthitvā: having stayed
• sthitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) = having stood/stayed

• hatvā: having slain
• hatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) = having killed

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (refers to harivāhinīm)

• hari-vāhinīm: the monkey army
• hari-vāhinīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष = हरिणां वाहिनी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• aśma-śastra-mahā-vṛṣṭyā: by a great shower of stones and weapons
• aśma-śastra-mahā-vṛṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśman (प्रातिपदिक) + śastra (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative chain) = अश्मशस्त्राणां महावृष्टिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• prāpayāma: we shall send/bring
• prāpayāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present) with future sense; परस्मैपदम्; उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• yama-kṣayam: to Yama's abode (death)
• yama-kṣayam: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष = यमस्य क्षयः (abode/realm of Yama); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Staying in the sky in groups, we will rain astras, sastras and boulders on the Vanara troops and on killing them, we shall send them to the abode of God of death.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Weapons (śūla, śakti, gadā, cāpa, bāṇa, asi)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how resolve and organization can be used for either dharma or adharma; here, martial readiness is portrayed in service of an unrighteous cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Rākṣasa fighters declare their readiness to rush out armed for battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and readiness—though ethically neutral—are shown; the Ramayana frames them as dangerous when guided by adharma.