Shloka 74

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

हित्वंशोचितव्योमेप्रख्यातबलपौरुषः ।स्त्रीस्वभावात्तुमेबुद्धिःकारुण्येपरिवर्तते ।।।।

Transliteration

hitvaṁ śocitavyo me prakhyāta-bala-pauruṣaḥ | strī-svabhāvāt tu me buddhiḥ kāruṇye parivartate ||

Translation

Du bist berühmt an Kraft und Tapferkeit; nicht um dich sollte ich klagen. Und doch wendet sich mein Sinn, der Natur der Frau gemäß, dem Mitleid und dem Schmerz zu.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (युष्मद्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śocitavyaḥ: to be mourned
• śocitavyaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śuc (धातु) + tavya (तव्यत्)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्यत्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; with na = 'not to be mourned'

• me: by me/my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (enclitic)

• prakhyāta-bala-pauruṣaḥ: renowned for strength and valor
• prakhyāta-bala-pauruṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakhyāta (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + pauruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: prakhyāta-bala-pauruṣa (तत्पुरुष: 'renowned for strength and manliness'); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies tvam

• strī-svabhāvāt: from (my) womanly nature
• strī-svabhāvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: strī-svabhāva (तत्पुरुष: 'womanly nature'); Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī-vibhakti (ablative/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; expresses cause

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative particle (निपात)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (enclitic)

• buddhiḥ: mind/intellect
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kāruṇye: toward compassion/in compassion
• kāruṇye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Saptamī-vibhakti (locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• parivartate: turns/changes
• parivartate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

Context

"You are famous for your strength and courage. I do not need to wail for you. Being a woman, by nature I am compassionate, and my mind is moving towards sorrow."

Characters & Entities

• Mandodarī
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here highlights truthful recognition of a warrior’s chosen fate, yet affirms compassion as a righteous human response even toward one who has erred.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa’s fall, Mandodarī stands near his body and speaks in grief, torn between his fame and her compassion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karunā—compassion—shown by Mandodarī even while acknowledging hard truths.