Shloka 1

रावण-सारथि-संवादः

Ravana and the Charioteer: Counsel, Omens, and Battlefield Conduct

Devanagari script

सतुमोहात्सुसङ्क्रुद्धःकृतान्तबलचोदितः ।क्रोधसंरक्तनयनोरावणंसूतमब्रवीत् ।।।।

Transliteration

sa tu mohāt susaṅkruddhaḥ kṛtānta-bala-coditaḥ | krodha-saṃrakta-nayano rāvaṇaḥ sūtam abravīt ||

Translation

Pero Rāvaṇa, ofuscado y ferozmente airado, impulsado por la fuerza del destino, con los ojos enrojecidos de cólera, habló a su auriga.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Virodha/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (particle: but/indeed)

• mohāt: from delusion
• mohāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Abl/5th), Ekavacana

• susaṅkruddhaḥ: highly enraged
• susaṅkruddhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-saṅkruddha (प्रातिपदिक; su + saṅkruddha)
• Form: Past participle sense (saṅ-√krudh + क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of saḥ/rāvaṇaḥ

• kṛtāntabalacoditaḥ: impelled by the power of destiny
• kṛtāntabalacoditaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtānta-bala-codita (प्रातिपदिक; kṛtānta + bala + codita)
• Form: codita = √cud (चुद्) + क्त (PPP); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of rāvaṇaḥ

• krodhasaṃraktanayanaḥ: whose eyes were reddened by anger
• krodhasaṃraktanayanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha-saṃrakta-nayana (प्रातिपदिक; krodha + saṃrakta + nayana)
• Form: saṃrakta = saṃ-√rañj (रञ्ज्) + क्त; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of rāvaṇaḥ

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sūtam: charioteer
• sūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

Context

Enraged out of delusion, by force of destiny, Ravana's eyes turned red in anger and spoke to his charioteer.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• charioteer (sūta)
• kṛtānta (destiny/death)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how adharma is sustained by moha (delusion) and krodha (anger): when inner clarity is lost, a person becomes ‘driven’ rather than self-governing—contrary to dharmic restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

After intense fighting, Rāvaṇa, overwhelmed by delusion and rage, addresses his charioteer, setting up a counsel-and-rebuke exchange.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), the virtue of self-control: Rāvaṇa’s reddened eyes exemplify the vice of anger overpowering discernment.