Shloka 9

रावणवधोत्तरं विभीषणशोकः—क्षत्रधर्मोपदेशः

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

Devanagari script

किंशेषमिहलोकस्यगतसत्त्वस्यसम्प्रति ।रणेराक्षसशार्दूलेप्रसुप्तइवपांसुषु ।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ śeṣam iha lokasya gatasattvasya samprati | raṇe rākṣasaśārdūle prasupta iva pāṃsuṣu ||

Translation

Was bleibt hier noch von der Welt, da ihre Kraft nun versiegt ist, wenn der Tiger unter den Rākṣasas im Staub des Schlachtfeldes liegt, als schliefe er?

Word by Word

• tejo-viṣāṇaḥ: having radiance as tusks
• tejo-viṣāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (metaphoric apposition to hastī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas + viṣāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘तेजः एव विषाणम्’ (prowess as tusks/horns); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kula-vaṃśa-vaṃśaḥ: having family lineage as its trunk/backbone
• kula-vaṃśa-vaṃśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (metaphoric apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula + vaṃśa + vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (बहुपद): ‘कुलवंशः एव वंशः’ (lineage as backbone/stock); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kopa-prasāda-apara-gātra-hastaḥ: with wrath as hind-body and grace as trunk/hand
• kopa-prasāda-apara-gātra-hastaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (metaphoric apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa + prasāda + apara + gātra + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (बहुपद): ‘कोपः (अपरगात्रम्) प्रसादः (हस्तः/शुण्डा)’ इति रूपक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ikṣvāku-siṃha-avagṛhīta-dehaḥ: whose body is taken/overpowered by the Ikshvaku-lion
• ikṣvāku-siṃha-avagṛhīta-dehaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (metaphoric apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣvāku + siṃha + avagṛhīta (ava-√grah + क्त) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘इक्ष्वाकुसिंहेन अवगृहीतः देहः यस्य’ (having body seized/assumed by the Ikshvaku-lion); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त-समास

• suptaḥ: lying as if asleep
• suptaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √svap (धातु) > supta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त; ‘lying asleep’

• kṣitau: on the earth
• kṣitau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• rāvaṇa-gandha-hastī: Ravana, the rutting elephant
• rāvaṇa-gandha-hastī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa + gandha + hastin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘रावणः (एव) गन्धहस्ती’ (rut-elephant); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"With the tiger among the Rakshasas fallen asleep like this in the dust in the battlefield, strength of the people departed. What is left in this world?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Battlefield (raṇa)

FAQs

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

It points to anitya (impermanence) and the fragility of power; dharma asks that strength be governed by righteousness, since mere might ends in dust.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker observes Rāvaṇa lying lifeless on the battlefield and voices the existential emptiness that follows the collapse of power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Detachment and realism—seeing worldly power as transient.