Shloka 1

रावणवधोत्तरं विभीषणशोकः—क्षत्रधर्मोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Lament after Ravana’s Fall; Instruction on Kshatriya-Dharma

Devanagari script

भ्रातरंनिहतंदृष्टवाशयानंनिर्जितंरणे ।शोकवेगपरीतात्माविललापविभीषणः ।।।।

Transliteration

bhrātaraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ nirjitaṃ raṇe |

śokavegaparītātmā vilalāpa vibhīṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Als er seinen Bruder erschlagen sah, daliegend und im Kampf besiegt, erhob Vibhīṣaṇa, von einer Woge des Kummers überwältigt, lautes Klagen.

Word by Word

• bhrātaram: (his) brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nihatam: slain
• nihatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + ni- (उपसर्ग) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भ्रातरम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive): 'having seen'

• śayānam: lying down
• śayānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śī (धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: कृदन्त (present middle participle, शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भ्रातरम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• nirjitam: defeated, overcome
• nirjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ji (धातु) + nir- (उपसर्ग) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भ्रातरम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (defeated/overcome; here: lifeless/vanquished)

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• śoka-vega-parīta-ātmā: overwhelmed by a surge of grief
• śoka-vega-parīta-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक) + parīta (√i धातु + pari- + क्त) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि: 'शोकवेगेन परीतः आत्मा यस्य' (whose mind is overwhelmed by the rush of grief); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विभीषणस्य विशेषणम्

• vilalāpa: lamented
• vilalāpa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lap (धातु) + vi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Vibheeshana, seeing his brother killed and lying in the battlefield, lamented immersed in sorrow.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Battlefield (raṇa)

FAQs

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

The verse acknowledges human grief as natural even for the dharmic: compassion and familial feeling persist, yet they will soon be guided by dharma toward right understanding.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after the climactic killing on the battlefield, Vibhīṣaṇa sees his brother dead and breaks into lamentation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s sensitivity and compassion—he is not hardened by war, and his sorrow reflects a humane heart.