Shloka 2

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

ततःप्रवृत्तंसुमहत्तद्युद्धंरोमहर्षणम् ।निशाचरैःप्लवङ्गानांदेवानांदानवैरिव ।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ pravṛttaṃ sumahat tad yuddhaṃ romaharṣaṇam |

niśācaraiḥ plavaṅgānāṃ devānāṃ dānavair iva ||

Translation

Bấy giờ bùng nổ một trận chiến vô cùng dữ dội, rợn tóc gáy: giữa bọn Dạ-xoa (Rākṣasa) và loài Khỉ thần (Vānara), như cuộc giao tranh thuở xưa giữa chư Thiên (Deva) và A-tu-la (Dānava).

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (तदः पञ्चमी-अर्थे)

• प्रवृत्तम्: arose/ensued
• प्रवृत्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with युद्धम्

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; adjective of युद्धम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally, Neuter, Nominative, Singular; refers to that battle

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रोमहर्षणम्: hair-raising
• रोमहर्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: roma + harṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (रोम्णां हर्षणम्), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of युद्धम्

• निशाचरैः: by the Rakshasas
• निशाचरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā + cara (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agent side

• प्लवङ्गानाम्: of the Vanaras
• प्लवङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• देवानाम्: of the Devas
• देवानाम्: Upamāna-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दानवैः: by the Danavas
• दानवैः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमावाचक-अव्यय)

Context

"By weapons, or by mace or else with hand s or any other weapon or with your military practice, you fight, he said to Rama."

Characters & Entities

• Niśācara (Rākṣasas)
• Plavaṅga (Vanaras)
• Devas
• Dānavas

FAQs

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

Dharma here is framed as the cosmic struggle where forces aligned with protection and order confront forces of harm and disruption; the epic situates human conflict within a moral universe.

What is the narrative situation?

The war intensifies as the Rākṣasa and Vanara armies clash in a massive, frightening engagement.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective courage and steadfastness in a righteous cause (the Vanaras fighting to restore justice and rescue Sītā).