Shloka 12

राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनविचारः

Survey of Ravana’s Residence and Lanka’s Inner Quarters

Devanagari script

भेरीमृदङ्गाभिरुतं शङ्खघोषनिनादितम्।नित्यार्चितं पर्वहुतं पूजितं राक्षसैः सदा।।।।

Transliteration

bherīmṛdaṅgābhirutaṃ śaṅkhaghoṣanināditam |

nityārcitaṃ parvahutaṃ pūjitaṃ rākṣasaiḥ sadā ||5.6.12||

Translation

On y entendait trompettes et tambours, on y percevait le fracas des conques; on y rendait un culte continuel, avec des offrandes aux fêtes et aux jours lunaires, toujours honoré par les rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• भेरी-मृदङ्ग-अभिरुतम्: resounding with kettle-drums and mṛdaṅgas
• भेरी-मृदङ्ग-अभिरुतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेरी (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अभि + रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘अभिरुत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (द्वन्द्वः) ‘भेरी च मृदङ्गश्च’ (वाद्य-ध्वनिभिः)

• शङ्ख-घोष-निनादितम्: echoed by conch-sounds
• शङ्ख-घोष-निनादितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + घोष (प्रातिपदिक) + नि + नद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘निनादित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘शङ्खघोषेण निनादितम्’

• नित्य-आर्चितम्: daily worshipped
• नित्य-आर्चितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आ + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘आर्चित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘नित्यं आर्चितम्’

• पर्व-हुतम्: offered (in sacrifice) on holy days
• पर्व-हुतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘हुत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः) ‘पर्वसु हुतम्’ = sacrifices offered on festival/holy days

• पूजितम्: honoured, worshipped
• पूजितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राक्षसैः: by demons
• राक्षसैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Agent in passive), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृ-करणम्

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb)

Context

Reverberating with the sounds of trumpets, mridangam and conches, there the demons daily performed worships and sacrifices on new and fullmoon days.

Characters & Entities

• bherī
• mṛdaṅga
• śaṅkha
• rākṣasas
• Rāvaṇa’s residence

FAQs

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

It distinguishes ritual activity from moral legitimacy: frequent worship and ceremony do not themselves establish dharma if one’s actions violate truth and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration depicts the palace as loud with instruments and conches and marked by constant worship and offerings performed by the rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ethical discernment: evaluating righteousness by behavior (satya, restraint, non-violence toward innocents) rather than by outward religiosity.