Shloka 76

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

सुहृदांहितकामानां न श्रुतंवचनंत्वया ।भ्रात्रूणांचैवकार्त्न्सनहितमुक्तंदशानन ।।।।

Transliteration

suhṛdāṁ hitakāmānāṁ na śrutaṁ vacanaṁ tvayā | bhrātṝṇāṁ caiva kārtsnyena hitam uktaṁ daśānana ||

Translation

O Zehn-Gesichtiger, du hast nicht auf die Worte der wohlmeinenden Freunde gehört; noch hast du die heilsamen Worte deiner Brüder in ihrer Gänze angenommen.

Word by Word

• suhṛdām: of friends
• suhṛdām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• hita-kāmānām: wishing your good
• hita-kāmānām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: hita-kāma (तत्पुरुष: 'desiring welfare'); Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; qualifies suhṛdām

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

• śrutam: was heard/heeded
• śrutam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (क्त), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; impersonal passive sense: 'was not listened to'

• vacanam: advice/words
• vacanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana

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

• bhrātṝṇām: of brothers
• bhrātṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

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

• kārtsnyena: entirely
• kārtsnyena: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kārtsnya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; adverbial instrumental = 'entirely/in full'

• hitam: what was beneficial
• hitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'beneficial (thing)'

• uktam: was spoken
• uktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta (क्त), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'was spoken'

• daśānana: O Ten-faced (Ravana)
• daśānana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: daśa-ānana (बहुव्रीहि: 'one who has ten faces'); Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

Context

"O Ten headed king! You did not heed the good words of advice given by your friends. You did not totally heed the good words spoken by your brothers."

Characters & Entities

• Mandodarī
• Rāvaṇa (Daśānana)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes receptivity to righteous counsel (nīti); ignoring well-intentioned advice leads to adharma-driven ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī reproaches the fallen Rāvaṇa for disregarding warnings from those who wished him well.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue implied is humility and teachability—qualities Rāvaṇa lacked, leading to downfall.