Shloka 17

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

तेऽभिवाद्यमहात्मानंरावणंरिपुरावणम् ।कृत्वाप्रदक्षिणंचैवमहाकायाःप्रतस्थिरे ।।।।

Transliteration

te 'bhivādya mahātmānaṃ rāvaṇaṃ ripurāvaṇam | kṛtvā pradakṣiṇaṃ caiva mahākāyāḥ pratasthire || 6.69.17 ||

Translation

Jene gewaltigleibigen Krieger grüßten Rāvaṇa, den Schrecken seiner Feinde; und nachdem sie ihn ehrerbietig umschritten hatten, brachen sie auf.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभिवाद्य: having saluted
• अभिवाद्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+√वद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having saluted’

• महात्मानम्: great-souled
• महात्मानम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् आत्मा यस्य) used adjectivally for ‘रावणम्’

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘अभिवाद्य’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रिपुरावणम्: destroyer of enemies
• रिपुरावणम्: समानााधिकरण (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु + रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रिपूणां रावणः) epithet in apposition to ‘रावणम्’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done’

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘कृत्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘circumambulation’ (object of ‘कृत्वा’)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• महाकायाः: huge-bodied
• महाकायाः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् कायः) used as adjective of ‘ते’

• प्रतस्थिरे: set out, departed
• प्रतस्थिरे: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

Those heroes greeting gigantic Ravana, went around him clockwise (as per tradition) and departed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It shows maryādā (formal respect and ritual conduct); dharma includes proper observances—but the epic distinguishes outer propriety from inner righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s men honor him with salutations and pradakṣiṇā before leaving for battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyalty and discipline within a hierarchy, expressed through traditional gestures of respect.