Shloka 40

मायाशिरोप्रदर्शनम्

The Display of the Illusory Head of Rāma

Devanagari script

विद्युज्जिह्वस्ततोगृह्यशिरस्तत्सशरासनम् ।प्रणामंशिरसाकृत्वारावणस्याग्रतस्थितः ।।।।

Transliteration

vidyujjihvas tato gṛhya śiras tat saśarāsanam |

praṇāmaṃ śirasā kṛtvā rāvaṇasyāgrataḥ sthitaḥ ||

Translation

Dann verneigte sich Vidyujihva, der jenes Haupt zusammen mit dem Bogen hielt, ehrerbietig und stand vor Rāvaṇa.

Word by Word

• विद्युज्जिह्वः: Vidyujihva
• विद्युज्जिह्वः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत्-जिह्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः; कर्तृ

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम-वाचक (then)

• गृह्य: having taken/holding
• गृह्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (having taken)

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śiraḥ)

• सशरासनम्: together with the bow
• सशरासनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शरासन (प्रातिपदिक; स + शरासन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शरासनेन सह = together with the bow) विशेषण (qualifying śiraḥ/tat)

• प्रणामम्: salutation
• प्रणामम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• रावणस्य: of Ravana
• रावणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-वाचक (adverb: in front)

• स्थितः: stood
• स्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (stood)

Context

Then holding the head along with the bow, Vidyujihvam bowed his head down in salutation and stood in front of Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Vidyujihva
• Rāvaṇa
• bow

FAQs

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

It illustrates loyalty used in service of adharma; dharma requires that obedience be guided by truth and righteousness, not merely hierarchy.

What is the narrative situation?

Vidyujihva presents himself before Rāvaṇa, carrying the gruesome token intended to deceive Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and obedience—shown here as ethically compromised when aligned with cruelty.