Shloka 13

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

हत्वा स राक्षसं सीतापहारिरजनीचरम् / रावणं चानुजं तस्य लङ्कापुर्यां विभीषणम्

Transliteration

hatvā sa rākṣasaṃ sītāpahārirajanīcaram / rāvaṇaṃ cānujaṃ tasya laṅkāpuryāṃ vibhīṣaṇam

Translation

Nachdem er den nächtlich umherstreifenden Dämon — Rāvaṇa, den Entführer Sītās — erschlagen hatte, (ordnete er auch) in der Stadt Laṅkā die Angelegenheit seines jüngeren Bruders Vibhīṣaṇa.

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राक्षसम्: the demon
• राक्षसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सीतापहारि: abductor of Sītā
• सीतापहारि: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सीता + अपहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘सीतायाः अपहारी’) विशेषण

• रजनीचरम्: night-roamer (rākṣasa)
• रजनीचरम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘रजन्यां चरः’)

• रावणम्: Rāvaṇa
• रावणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक निपात (conjunction)

• अनुजम्: younger brother
• अनुजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that (Rāvaṇa)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• लङ्कापुर्याम्: in the city of Laṅkā
• लङ्कापुर्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘लङ्कायाः पुरी’)

• विभीषणम्: Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adharma rooted in abduction/violation and tyranny culminates in destruction; righteous force restores cosmic and social order.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala inevitability: violent desire and arrogance ripen into downfall; dharma as the stabilizing principle that ultimately prevails.

Application: Do not normalize exploitation; confront systemic wrongdoing; cultivate humility and self-control to avoid the ‘Rāvaṇa’ pattern of ego-driven ruin.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: island-fortress city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana’s Rāma-kathā summary culminating in Laṅkā episode and resolution motifs

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Laṅkā

FAQs

What is the importance of the Rāvaṇa episode in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses an Itihāsa example to highlight dharma’s victory over adharma—Rāvaṇa is identified by his grave transgression (abducting Sītā) and is shown as subject to righteous consequence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by pointing to moral causality—actions aligned with adharma lead to downfall, while dharma upholds cosmic order; this supports the Purāṇic framework of karma shaping destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat others’ dignity and relationships as inviolable, avoid exploitative desire, and support dharma in one’s choices—personal ethics are portrayed as having inevitable consequences.