Shloka 21

रावणवधदर्शनम्

Lament of the Rākṣasa Women upon Seeing Rāvaṇa Slain

Devanagari script

वृत्तकामोभवेद्भ्रातारामोमित्रकुलंभवेत् ।।।।वयंचाध्विवाःसर्वाःसकमा न च शत्रवः ।

Transliteration

vṛttakāmo bhaved bhrātā rāmo mitrakulaṃ bhavet |

vayaṃ cādhavivāḥ sarvāḥ sakāmāḥ na ca śatravaḥ ||6.113.21||

Translation

Se habría cumplido el propósito de tu hermano; Rāma habría sido aliado de nuestro linaje. No habríamos quedado todas viudas, ni los enemigos habrían visto colmado su deseo.

Word by Word

वृत्तकामःwith desires fulfilled

भवेत्would be

भ्राताbrother

रामःRama

मित्रकुलम्a friendly clan, a clan of friends

भवेत्would become

वयम्we

चand

अधविवाःnot widows

सर्वाःall

सकामाःwith desires satisfied/with husbands desired

नnot

चand

शत्रवःenemies

Context

"If your brother's desire had been fulfilled Rama would have turned to be our friend. We would not have been widows. Our enemy's desire would not have been fulfilled."

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Vibhīṣaṇa (implied as 'brother' in the counsel-context)

enemies (śatravaḥ) (contextually: Rāma’s side / Laṅkā’s opponents)

FAQs

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

Dharma in statecraft includes de-escalation, restitution, and alliance with righteousness; refusing dharmic reconciliation leads to avoidable devastation.

What is the narrative situation?

The lamenters imagine an alternate outcome: if dharmic advice had been followed, Laṅkā would have avoided widowhood and defeat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence guided by dharma—choosing peace and right alliance over pride-driven hostility.