Shloka 21

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

सर्वायुधसमायुक्तंतूणीभिश्चस्वलङ्कृतम् ।रराजगजमास्थायसवितेवास्तमूर्धनि ।।।।

Transliteration

sarvāyudhasamāyuktaṃ tūṇībhiś ca svalaṅkṛtam |

rarāja gajam āsthāya savitevāstamūrdhani ||

Translation

他具足诸般兵器，身佩箭箙华饰，乘象而耀然，如西方将没之日，临近落山之际光辉灿然。

Word by Word

• सर्वायुधसमायुक्तम्: equipped with all weapons
• सर्वायुधसमायुक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आयुध + समायुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+आ+√युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुष (सर्वैः आयुधैः समायुक्तः) qualifying ‘गजम्’

• तूणीभिः: with quivers
• तूणीभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तूणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• सुलङ्कृतम्: well-adorned
• सुलङ्कृतम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु+लङ्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifying ‘गजम्’

• रराज: shone
• रराज: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गजम्: elephant
• गजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘आस्थाय’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having mounted
• आस्थाय: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having mounted/ascended’

• सविता: the sun
• सविता: उपमान (Upamāna/Comparator)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अस्तमूर्धनि: on the western horizon
• अस्तमूर्धनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (मूर्धन्), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अस्तस्य मूर्धा) ‘at the western summit/at sunset point’

Context

Ready with all kinds of weapons, quivers as well mounted on elephants shone like the setting Sun in the west.

Characters & Entities

• Mahodara (implied continuation from prior verse)
• Elephant (gaja)

FAQs

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

The verse reminds readers that brilliance and armament can be merely external; the Ramayana repeatedly measures worth by dharma (right cause and right conduct), not by display.

What is the narrative situation?

A vivid battlefield-style description of a rākṣasa champion mounted and fully armed, radiating splendor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas (splendor/force) and preparedness; ethically, it serves as contrast to dharmic legitimacy rather than proof of it.