Shloka 6

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

कथंत्रैलोक्यमाक्रम्यश्रियावीर्येणचान्वितम् ।अविषह्यंजघानत्वांमानुषोवनगोचरः ।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ trailokyam ākramya śriyā vīryeṇa cānvitam | aviṣahyaṃ jaghāna tvāṃ mānuṣo vanagocaraḥ ||

Translation

Wie konnte ein bloßer Mensch—ein Waldwanderer—dich erschlagen, dich, der du die drei Welten überranntest, erfüllt von Glanz und Tapferkeit, scheinbar unerträglich im Widerstand?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (three worlds), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आक्रम्य: having overrun
• आक्रम्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल-क्रिया

• श्रिया: with splendor/fortune
• श्रिया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• वीर्येण: with valor/power
• वीर्येण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• अन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP: 'endowed'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to त्रैलोक्यम्)

• अविषह्यम्: unbearable, irresistible
• अविषह्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविषह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to त्वाम् understood / or to 'you' as object)

• जघान: struck, slew
• जघान: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• मानुषः: a human
• मानुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वनगोचरः: forest-dweller
• वनगोचरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('forest-ranging'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण (to मानुषः)

Context

"King! Chaste women of noble lineage being righteous, serving the elders have been widowed by you. Because of their curse, you have fallen under the sway of your enemy and because of that, this has come to you."

Characters & Entities

• Mandodarī
• Rāvaṇa
• Three worlds (trailokya)
• Rāma (implied by “human, forest-dweller”)

FAQs

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

It warns against arrogance: violating dharma makes even the seemingly invincible fall—often through an instrument that appears ‘ordinary’.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī marvels at the reversal of fortune: the conqueror of worlds is slain by a ‘human’ forest-ranging hero (Rāma).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Recognition of a higher moral order: the epic suggests that dharma empowers the righteous beyond conventional measures of might.