Shloka 6

रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana

Brahmāstra Discharge

Devanagari script

यस्यवाजेषुपवनःफलेपावकभास्करौ ।शरीरमाकाशमयंगौरवेमेरुमन्दरौ ।।।।

Transliteration

yasya vājeṣu pavanaḥ phale pāvaka-bhāskarau |

śarīram ākāśamayaṃ gaurave meru-mandarau ||

Translation

此箭之羽由风神主宰；其锋由火神与日神主宰；箭身如虚空所成，而须弥与曼陀罗二山被安置为其重量与沉稳之力。

Word by Word

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (pronoun, context-dependent)

• vājeṣu: in the feathers/plumes
• vājeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• pavanaḥ: the Wind (god)
• pavanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• phale: in the head/point
• phale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• pāvaka-bhāskarau: Fire and the Sun
• pāvaka-bhāskarau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka + bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन

• śarīram: the body
• śarīram: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• ākāśa-mayam: sky-like / made of sky
• ākāśa-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākāśa + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ākāśa-maya = made of sky); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of śarīram

• gaurave: in heaviness/weight
• gaurave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• meru-mandarau: Meru and Mandara (mountains)
• meru-mandarau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru + mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन

Context

The wind god presided over its feathers, the fire god and the Sun god presided over its head, its energy was presided over by Meru and Mandara mountains and its weight by the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Wind (Pavana)
• Fire (Pāvaka/Agni)
• Sun (Bhāskara)
• Meru
• Mandara
• Divine arrow (Mahā-bāṇa)

FAQs

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

Dharma is supported by the cosmos: the weapon’s composition symbolizes that righteous action aligns with elemental and divine forces rather than private violence.

What is the narrative situation?

A heightened, mythic description of the weapon underscores its extraordinary and sanctioned nature before its decisive use.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Restraint and responsibility are implied: such a weapon is not for ordinary aims, but for restoring order.