Shloka 59
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
प्रपन्नोदीर्घमध्वानंराजन्नद्यसुदुर्गमम् ।।।।नयमामपिदुःखार्तां न वर्तिष्येत्वयाविना ।
prapanno dīrgham adhvānaṃ rājann adya sudurgamam | naya mām api duḥkhārtāṃ na vartiṣye tvayā vinā ||
O König, heute bist du zu einer langen Reise aufgebrochen, überaus schwer zu durchschreiten. Führe auch mich mit, obgleich vom Kummer gequält—denn ohne dich kann ich nicht leben.
"O king! Today, take me on your journey which is very difficult. Stricken with sorrow I cannot live without you."
FAQs
It reflects the ideal of spousal devotion in traditional epic ethics, while also showing the human cost when a king’s adharma ends in death.
Mandodarī interprets Rāvaṇa’s death as a departure on a ‘journey’ and expresses the wish to accompany him.
Single-minded devotion (pati-niṣṭhā): she declares she cannot continue life without her husband.