Shloka 105

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct

Devanagari script

शकटान् दारुरूपाणिअग्नीनवैयाजकांस्तथा ।।6.114.104।।तथाचन्दनकाष्ठानिकाष्ठानिविविधानि च ।अगरूणिसुगधनीनिगन्धांश्चसुरभींस्तथा ।।6.114.105।।मणिमुक्ताप्रवाळानिनिर्यापयतिराक्षसः ।

Transliteration

śakaṭān dārurūpāṇi agnīn vai yājakāṃs tathā |

tathā candanakāṣṭhāni kāṣṭhāni vividhāni ca |

agarūṇi sugandhāni gandhāṃś ca surabhīṃs tathā |

maṇimuktāpravāḷāni niryāpayati rākṣasaḥ ||

Translation

Der Rākṣasa ließ ebenso Wagen und erlesenes Holz, die rituellen Feuer und die Priester bereiten; Sandelholz und vielerlei Holz; Agaru und duftende Wohlgerüche; dazu Edelsteine, Perlen und Korallen—und traf volle Vorbereitung für die Totenriten.

Word by Word

• अगरूणि: aloeswood; agaru
• अगरूणि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सुगन्धीनि: fragrant
• सुगन्धीनि: कर्मविशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — अगरूणि इति विशेषण

• गन्धान्: perfumes; scents
• गन्धान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• सुरभीन्: fragrant substances
• सुरभीन्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (here used as noun ‘fragrant substances’), द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: समुच्चय (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थ

• मणि-मुक्ता-प्रवाळानि: gems, pearls, and corals
• मणि-मुक्ता-प्रवाळानि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि + मुक्ता + प्रवाळ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (copulative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• निर्यापयति: brings out; arranges; carries out
• निर्यापयति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + यापय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राक्षसः: the rākṣasa (Vibhīṣaṇa)
• राक्षसः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Vibheeshana arranged to get excellent carts, fires maintained by Ravana, priests, so also sandalwood, and many kinds of wood, fragrant perfumes, sandals, sweet smelling odours, gems, pearls, and corals and proceeded with obsequies.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• agnī (ritual fires)
• yājaka (priests)
• candana (sandalwood)
• agaru
• maṇi (gems)
• muktā (pearls)
• pravāḷa (corals)

FAQs

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

The repetition reinforces the dharmic insistence on completing prescribed rites with due honor—duty is not minimized by prior enmity.

What is the narrative situation?

As part of the funeral preparations, the text again lists the materials assembled for Rāvaṇa’s rites; the duplication likely reflects a recension-specific transmission.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Persistence in duty and respect for ritual completeness, a hallmark of Vibhīṣaṇa’s dharmic conduct.