Shloka 28

Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint

Devanagari script

मयावर्षसहस्राणिचरित्वापरमंतपः ।।।।तेषुतेष्ववकाशेषुस्वयम्भूःपरितोषितः ।

Transliteration

mayā varṣasahasrāṇi caritvā paramaṁ tapaḥ |

teṣu teṣv avakāśeṣu svayambhūḥ paritoṣitaḥ ||

Translation

Ich habe tausende von Jahren höchste Entbehrungen auf mich genommen, bei verschiedenen Gelegenheiten, bis der Selbstgeborene (Brahmā) zufrieden war.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘by me’

• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: thousands of years
• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘varṣāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi’ = thousands of years (duration)

• चरित्वा: having practiced
• चरित्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having practiced/performed’

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of तपः

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तेषु: in those
• तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; ‘in those’

• तेषु: in each (of those)
• तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (distributive): ‘in each of those’

• अवकाशेषु: on occasions/at intervals
• अवकाशेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• स्वयम्भूः: the Self-born (Brahma)
• स्वयम्भूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayambhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्मा

• परितोषितः: was pleased
• परितोषितः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paritoṣita (कृदन्त; √tuṣ धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि: ‘was pleased/satisfied’ (i.e., became pleased)

Context

'I have done penance for thousands of years several times and am a pleased self-born creator'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)

FAQs

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

Tapas (austerity) is powerful, but dharma requires that spiritual power be yoked to restraint and truth; otherwise merit becomes fuel for pride.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa begins a self-justifying speech, recalling his penances to claim invincibility and rally his followers.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Perseverance is displayed (years of tapas), but the virtue is compromised by arrogance—showing how merit can be ethically misused.