Shloka 6.114.27

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

Devanagari script

अवश्यमेवलभतेफलंपापस्यकर्मणः ।घोरंपर्यागतेकालेकर्तानास्त्यत्रसंशयः ।।।।

Transliteration

na kulena na rūpeṇa na dākṣiṇyena maithilī | mayādhikā vā tulyā vā tat tvaṃ mohān na budhyase ||

Translation

Maithilī is not superior to me by lineage, nor by beauty, nor by courtesy—nor even my equal; yet, deluded, you failed to understand this.

Context

"When time comes surely one who does sinful action will reap the result. There is no doubt that the doer of a terrible action will be destroyed."

Characters & Entities

• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Mandodarī
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Moha (delusion) distorts judgment and leads to adharma; dharma requires clarity of mind and restraint rather than obsession.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī highlights the irrationality of Rāvaṇa’s fixation on Sītā, implying that delusion—not need—drove the crime.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is विवेक (discernment); its absence in Rāvaṇa is presented as the immediate cause of ethical collapse.