Shloka 6.113.23

रावणवधदर्शनम् — Lament of the Rākṣasa Women upon Seeing Rāvaṇa Slain

Devanagari script

न कामकारःकामंवातवराक्षसपुङ्गव ।दैवंचेष्टयतेसर्वंहतंदैवेनहन्यते ।।।।

Transliteration

na kāmakāraḥ kāmaṃ vā tava rākṣasapuṅgava | daivaṃ ceṣṭayate sarvaṃ hataṃ daivena hanyate ||

Translation

O foremost of rākṣasas, neither self-will nor desire alone prevails; destiny impels all. Whom fate has struck down—by fate he is slain.

Context

"O Foremost of Rakshasas! You have acted according to your desire alone is not sufficient as divine will make you do everything. He is killed whom destiny kills."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Daiva (Fate)

FAQs

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

Human desire is not sovereign; moral order and consequences operate through a larger law (daiva/karma). Dharma requires humility before that order.

What is the narrative situation?

In mourning, the speaker interprets the war’s outcome as the unfolding of destiny, framing Rāvaṇa’s death as inevitable once adharma matured.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reflective wisdom: the ability to see beyond personal preference to the workings of fate and moral causality.