Shloka 24

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

जीमूतयोरिवाकाशेशब्दोज्यातलयोस्तदा ।धनुर्मुक्तःस्वनोत्कृष्टश्श्रूयते च रणाजिरे ।।।।

Transliteration

jīmūtayor ivākāśe śabdo jyātalayos tadā |

dhanur-muktaḥ svanotkṛṣṭaḥ śrūyate ca raṇājire ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, trên chiến địa, tiếng dây cung căng bật vang lên; âm thanh tuyệt mạnh của cung vừa buông được nghe giữa trời cao như sấm của mây dày.

Word by Word

• jīmūtayoḥ: of clouds
• jīmūtayoḥ: Upamāna-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīmūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Dual (द्विवचन)

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

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

• śabdaḥ: sound
• śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• jyātalayoḥ: of the bowstring-contact surfaces
• jyātalayoḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyā-tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘bowstring-surface/hand-contact’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Dual (द्विवचन)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल-अव्यय)

• dhanur-muktaḥ: released from the bow
• dhanur-muktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक) + mukta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from muc)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense) ‘released from the bow’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); qualifies śabdaḥ

• svana-utkṛṣṭaḥ: loud-sounding
• svana-utkṛṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svana (प्रातिपदिक) + ut-kṛṣṭa (कृदन्त from kṛṣ)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘raised/loud in sound’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); qualifies śabdaḥ

• śrūyate: is heard
• śrūyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) present, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive-like sense ‘is heard’

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

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

Context

Then the sound released by the friction of the bowstring and the hand (of the two heroes) filled the sky like thunder of clouds.

Characters & Entities

• battlefield (raṇājira)
• bows (dhanus)
• bowstring (jyā)
• clouds (jīmūta)

FAQs

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

By elevating the duel to a cosmic sound-image, the text suggests that righteous conflict has world-order stakes, demanding discipline and responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

As the duel continues, the sound of bowstrings and hands striking/releasing becomes thunderous, filling the sky.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial focus and sustained effort—steadiness in the demanding duty of battle.