Shloka 3

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

येयेमहाबलास्सन्तिलघवश्चप्लवङ्गमाः ।लङ्कामभ्युतन्त्याशुगृह्योल्काःप्लवगर्षभाः ।।।।हरयोहरिसङ्काशाःप्रदग्धुंरावणालयम् ।

Transliteration

ye ye mahābalās santi laghavaś ca plavaṅgamāḥ |

laṅkām abhyutanty āśu gṛhyolkāḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ ||

harayo harisaṅkāśāḥ pradagdhuṃ rāvaṇālayam |

Translation

让那些强大而迅捷的瓦纳拉首领——手持火把——迅速冲向兰卡，去放火焚烧罗波那的住所：这些猴子像狮子一样令人生畏。

Word by Word

• ye: who(ever)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ye: each and every who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distributive)

• mahābalāḥ: very strong
• mahābalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः: महत् बलं येषाम्; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective to plavaṅgamāḥ/harayaḥ

• santi: are
• santi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• laghavaḥ: swift/light
• laghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक

• plavaṅgamāḥ: vanaras
• plavaṅgamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abhyutanti: rush/attack
• abhyutanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ud-√tan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शीघ्रार्थक (quickly)

• gṛhya: having taken
• gṛhya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): गृह्य (= गृहीत्वा); action prior to main verb

• ulkāḥ: torches
• ulkāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ulkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; object of gṛhya

• plavagarṣabhāḥ: bulls among the vanaras (leaders)
• plavagarṣabhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaga + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): प्लवगानाम् ऋषभाः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; apposition to plavaṅgamāḥ

• harayaḥ: monkeys
• harayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• harisaṅkāśāḥ: monkey-like / resembling monkeys
• harisaṅkāśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उपमान): हरिसदृशाः/हरिवत् सङ्काशाः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective to harayaḥ

• pradagdhum: to burn down
• pradagdhum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dah (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive): प्रदग्धुम्; purpose

• rāvaṇālayam: Ravana's abode
• rāvaṇālayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa + ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): रावणस्य आलयः; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"Of the bulls among vanaras, endowed with prowess, whoever is quick, able and foremost, let them go to Lanka, the abode of Ravana."

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the duty of allies to confront tyranny: decisive action is taken to dismantle an adharma-based stronghold. The aim is restoration of justice (protecting satya and rightful order), not needless cruelty.

What is the narrative situation?

A command is issued to the strongest and swiftest vānaras to seize torches, rush into Laṅkā, and burn Rāvaṇa’s seat of power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Leadership and initiative (naya, utsāha): selecting capable warriors and acting swiftly for a righteous objective.