Shloka 59
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
प्रपन्नोदीर्घमध्वानंराजन्नद्यसुदुर्गमम् ।।।।नयमामपिदुःखार्तां न वर्तिष्येत्वयाविना ।
prapanno dīrgham adhvānaṃ rājann adya sudurgamam | naya mām api duḥkhārtāṃ na vartiṣye tvayā vinā ||
Ô roi, aujourd’hui tu t’es engagé sur une longue route, si dure à franchir. Conduis-moi aussi, moi que la douleur accable, car je ne puis vivre sans toi.
"O king! Today, take me on your journey which is very difficult. Stricken with sorrow I cannot live without you."
FAQs
It reflects the ideal of spousal devotion in traditional epic ethics, while also showing the human cost when a king’s adharma ends in death.
Mandodarī interprets Rāvaṇa’s death as a departure on a ‘journey’ and expresses the wish to accompany him.
Single-minded devotion (pati-niṣṭhā): she declares she cannot continue life without her husband.