Shloka 93

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

त्यक्तधर्मव्रतंशूरंनृशंसमनृतंतथा ।।।।नाहमर्होऽस्मिसंस्कर्तुंपरदाराभिमर्शिनम् ।

Transliteration

tyaktadharmavrataṃ śūraṃ nṛśaṃsam anṛtaṃ tathā |

nāham arho'smi saṃskartuṃ paradārābhimarśinam ||

Translation

«Il a renoncé au dharma et aux vœux sacrés ; il fut violent, cruel et mensonger, et il a souillé les épouses d’autrui. Je ne suis pas digne d’accomplir les rites funéraires pour un tel homme».

Word by Word

• tyaktadharmavratam: one who has abandoned dharma-vows
• tyaktadharmavratam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of śūram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyakta (कृदन्त) + dharma + vrata (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: tyaktaṃ dharmavrataṃ yena saḥ (as adjective to śūram)

• śūram: the hero (Ravana)
• śūram: Karma (कर्म) (object of saṃskartuṃ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nṛśaṃsam: cruel / merciless
• nṛśaṃsam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nṛśaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• anṛtam: untruthful
• anṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: and also / likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (क्रियाविशेषण/निपात)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• arhaḥ: fit / entitled
• arhaḥ: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• saṃskartum: to perform obsequies
• saṃskartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) / Kriyārtha
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to perform (rites)'

• paradārābhimarśinam: one who violates others' wives
• paradārābhimarśinam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of śūram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para + dāra + abhi + mṛśin (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: paradārān abhimarśati iti

Context

"This Ravana had given up righteous conduct, was cruel, merciless, untrue, and had laid hands on others' wives. I do not deserve to perform obsequies to him.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse frames sexual violation, cruelty, and falsehood as grave adharma, raising the question of whether ritual duty should be extended to one who persistently rejected dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa refuses (or hesitates) to perform Rāvaṇa’s obsequies, listing Rāvaṇa’s moral transgressions as grounds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity and integrity: Vibhīṣaṇa refuses to normalize wrongdoing by treating the wrongdoer as ritually deserving without reflection.