Shloka 97

युद्धलक्षण-निमित्तदर्शनं तथा लङ्काद्वारव्यूहः

War Omens and the Encirclement of Lanka’s Gates

Devanagari script

तेषामक्षौहिणिशतंसमवेक्ष्यवनौकसाम् ।लङ्कामुपनिविष्टानांसागरंचानिवर्तताम् ।।6.41.97।।राक्षसाविस्मयंजग्मुस्त्रासंजग्मुस्तथापरे ।अपरेसमरोध्धर्षाद्धर्षमेवप्रपेदिरे ।।6.41.98।।

Transliteration

teṣām akṣauhiṇiśataṃ samavekṣya vanaukasām | laṅkām upaniviṣṭānāṃ sāgaraṃ cānivartatām || 6.41.97 ||

Translation

见那林居之众——整整一百支阿叉乌希尼军——扎营于楞迦近旁，阵势延展直抵大海而毫不退却，

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; pronoun referring to vanaukasaḥ

• akṣauhiṇī-śatam: a hundred divisions (akṣauhiṇīs)
• akṣauhiṇī-śatam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣauhiṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu (द्विगु) 'a hundred akṣauhiṇīs'; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• samavekṣya: having seen
• samavekṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ava√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/य), 'having observed/seen'

• vanaukasām: of the vanaras
• vanaukasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vanaukas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; 'forest-dwellers' = monkeys

• laṅkām: Lankā
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• upaniviṣṭānām: of those encamped near
• upaniviṣṭānām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-ni√viś (धातु) → upaniviṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) used adjectivally; Masculine, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; qualifies vanaukasām: 'of those stationed near'

• sāgaram: the ocean
• sāgaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

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

• anivartatām: of those not retreating
• anivartatām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-ni√vṛt (धातु) → anivartat (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) with privative a-; Masculine, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; qualifies vanaukasām: 'of those not turning back/unyielding'

• rākṣasāḥ: the rākṣasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• vismayam: astonishment
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• jagmuḥ: went to / fell into
• jagmuḥ: Kriyā (मुख्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• trāsam: fear
• trāsam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• jagmuḥ: went to / were seized by
• jagmuḥ: Kriyā (मुख्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (रीतिवाचक) 'thus/so'

• apare: others
• apare: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; 'others'

• apare: others
• apare: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; new group 'others'

• samare: in battle
• samare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative 'in battle'

• uddharṣāt: from exhilaration
• uddharṣāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; ablative of cause 'from excitement'

• harṣam: joy
• harṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• eva: only, indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• prapedi re: attained, fell into
• prapedi re: Kriyā (मुख्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√pad (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana, Ātmanepada; sandhi split: prapedi re = prapedi re (prapedi-re)

Context

Seeing the large army of a hundred Akshauhinis of monkeys staying near Lanka spreading beyond the sea waiting for war the Rakshasas were wonder struck, some feared, some were alarmed to witness the jubilant Vanaras who exhibited joy alone.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• sāgara (ocean/sea)

FAQs

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

Steadfastness in a just cause—‘not turning back’ signifies commitment to dharma despite danger and scale of conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes the immense vānaras’ deployment around Laṅkā, emphasizing their numbers and refusal to retreat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective resolve—unity and perseverance of the dharmic alliance.