Shloka 73

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

निर्वृत्तस्त्वत्कृतेऽनर्थःसोऽयंमूलहरोमहान् ।त्वयाकृतमिदंसर्वमनाधंराक्षसंकुलम् ।।।।

Transliteration

nirvṛttas tvat-kṛte 'narthaḥ so 'yaṃ mūlaharo mahān |

tvayā kṛtam idaṃ sarvam anādhaṃ rākṣasaṃ kulam |

Translation

Durch deine Tat ist dieses große Unheil eingetreten, das bis zur Wurzel ausreißt. Von dir ist all dies getan worden: das ganze Geschlecht der Rākṣasas ist ohne Schutz und ohne Zuflucht zurückgeblieben.

Word by Word

• nirvṛttaḥ: has happened/has come to pass
• nirvṛttaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-√vṛt (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative: 'has occurred/has come about'

• tvat-kṛte: because of you
• tvat-kṛte: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tvat (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-like usage of locative: tvat-kṛte = 'for your sake/because of you' (हेतु/निमित्त)

• anarthaḥ: disaster
• anarthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• saḥ: that/he
• saḥ: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (तद्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (इदम्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mūla-haraḥ: root-destroyer
• mūla-haraḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: mūla-hara (तत्पुरुष: 'root-destroyer'); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mahān: great
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; irregular stem mahat

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (युष्मद्), Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• kṛtam: done
• kṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past participle (क्त), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative with idam sarvam

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (इदम्), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies idam

• anātham: orphaned/without protector
• anātham: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective to rākṣasa-kulam

• rākṣasa-kulam: the rākṣasa clan
• rākṣasa-kulam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: rākṣasa-kula (तत्पुरुष: 'clan of rākṣasas'); Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

"Mighty armed King! Your brother, who is a knower of matters relating to future, present and past, a truthful one, after your getting Mythili, thought for a while and sighing spoke this. 'The destruction of Rakshasa chiefs is now sure to happen', has come true.' The desire for sensual pleasures and anger has resulted in your death and resulting in this calamity."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

A ruler’s adharma does not remain personal; it uproots an entire community. Leadership carries dharmic accountability for collective welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

In the aftermath of defeat, the speaker attributes the near-extermination and helplessness of the Rākṣasa lineage to Rāvaṇa’s choices.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāja-dharma by contrast: the implied virtue is responsible governance—protecting one’s people through restraint and ethical action.