Shloka 33

इन्द्रजितो यज्ञानुष्ठानं अन्तर्धानं च

Indrajit’s Rite and the Invisible Assault

Devanagari script

रावणिस्तुदिशस्सर्वारथेनातिरथोऽपतत् ।विव्याधतौदाशरथीलघ्वस्त्रनिशितैःशरैः ।।।।

Transliteration

rāvaṇis tu diśaḥ sarvā rathenātiratho 'patat | vivyādha tau dāśarathī laghv-astraniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Còn Rāvaṇi, bậc đại xa chiến, cưỡi chiến xa lướt khắp bốn phương, dùng những mũi tên nhanh và sắc đâm xuyên hai hoàng tử con vua Daśaratha.

Word by Word

• rāvaṇiḥ: Rāvaṇa's son
• rāvaṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: also
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध (but/also)

• diśaḥ: directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying diśaḥ)

• rathena: by/with (his) chariot
• rathena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ati-rathaḥ: a great chariot-warrior
• ati-rathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (ati-ratha = great chariot-warrior)

• apatat: rushed, swooped
• apatat: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pat (पत्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• vivyādha: pierced
• vivyādha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vyadh (व्यध्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• tau: those two
• tau: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• dāśarathī: the two sons of Daśaratha
• dāśarathī: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (two sons of Daśaratha)

• laghu-astra: swift in discharging weapons
• laghu-astra: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (लघु अस्त्रं यस्य/लघ्वस्त्रः = swift in weapon-use)

• niśitaiḥ: sharp-pointed
• niśitaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (कृदन्त; √ni-√śā/śi?; here adjectival 'sharpened')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śaraiḥ)

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Context

The son of Ravana who was a superior chariot warrior and swift in discharging arrows coursed through all directions and pierced arrows at Rama and Lakshmana from the aerial car.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇi (Indrajit/Meghanāda)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha
• ratha (chariot)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts power with righteousness: great prowess can be used in service of adharma. The Ramayana repeatedly distinguishes skill from moral legitimacy.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit maneuvers rapidly and attacks Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa from multiple directions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

From a neutral perspective: exceptional martial agility; ethically, it warns that talent without dharma can become destructive.