Shloka 22

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

अकस्माच्छाभिकामोऽसिसीतांराक्षसपुङ्गवः ।ऐश्वर्यस्यविनाशायदेहस्यस्वजनस्य च ।।।।

Transliteration

akasmāc chābhikāmo 'si sītāṃ rākṣasa-puṅgavaḥ | aiśvaryasya vināśāya dehasya svajanasya ca ||

Translation

O Erster unter den Rākṣasas! Unvermittelt ergriff dich das Verlangen nach Sītā—und so brachtest du Verderben über deine Herrschaft, über dein eigenes Leben und über dein eigenes Volk.

Word by Word

• akasmāt: suddenly
• akasmāt: Kāla/Hetu-adverbial (काल/निमित्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: akasmāt (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आकस्मिकत्वबोधक अव्यय (adverb)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• abhikāmaḥ: lustful; desirous
• abhikāmaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhikāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म/object of desire)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.2), एकवचन

• rākṣasa-puṅgavaḥ: foremost among the Rakshasas
• rākṣasa-puṅgavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/ संबोधनार्थे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rākṣasānāṃ puṅgavaḥ)

• aiśvaryasya: of sovereignty/wealth
• aiśvaryasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Gen.6), एकवचन

• vināśāya: for destruction
• vināśāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dat.4), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• dehasya: of (your) body/life
• dehasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• svajanasya: of your own people
• svajanasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svajana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

Context

"O Foremost of Rakshasas! To the destruction of your wealth, life and your own people you suddenly developed passion for Sita."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Unchecked kāma (desire) that violates dharma destroys not only the wrongdoer but also the wider community dependent on him.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī identifies the root cause of Laṅkā’s catastrophe as Rāvaṇa’s sudden, unlawful desire for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint (dama) is implied as the missing virtue; its absence is portrayed as fatal for a ruler.