Shloka 5

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

स त्वंमानुषमात्रेणरामेणयुधिनिर्जितः ।न व्यपत्रपसेराजन् किमिदंराक्षसेश्वर ।।।।

Transliteration

sa tvaṃ mānuṣamātreṇa rāmeṇa yudhi nirjitaḥ | na vyapatrapase rājan kim idaṃ rākṣaseśvara ||

Translation

Du—im Kampf von Rāma, einem bloßen Menschen, besiegt! O König, Herr der rākṣasas—schämst du dich nicht? Was soll das?

Word by Word

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

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मानुषमात्रेण: by a mere human
• मानुषमात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('mere human'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• निर्जितः: defeated
• निर्जितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + जि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP: 'conquered/defeated'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective to त्वम्)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• व्यपत्रपसे: you feel ashamed
• व्यपत्रपसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अप + त्रप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• किम्: why? what?
• किम्: Hetu/Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राक्षसेश्वर: O lord of rākṣasas
• राक्षसेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('lord of rākṣasas'), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

"O Lord of Rakshasas! Just by Rama, a mortal, you have been killed in war. Are you not shy of it?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

It highlights moral accountability: shame arises when one’s self-image of power collapses before the truth of one’s unrighteous course and its outcome.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī addresses the slain Rāvaṇa directly, expressing disbelief and reproach that he fell to a human opponent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: the capacity to name defeat and question misplaced pride.