Shloka 11

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

निर्जितास्तेमहाबाहोनागागत्वारसातलम् ।वासुकिस्तक्षकःशङखोजटीचवशमाहृताः ।।।।

Transliteration

nirjitās te mahābāho nāgā gatvā rasātalam |

vāsukis takṣakaḥ śaṅkho jaṭī ca vaśam āhṛtāḥ ||

Translation

Ô toi aux bras puissants, étant descendu à Rasātala, tu as vaincu les Nāgas—Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Śaṅkha et Jaṭī—et tu les as soumis à ton autorité.

Word by Word

• निर्जिताः: were conquered
• निर्जिताः: कर्मणि-भाव (Karmani/कर्मणि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘conquered’

• ते: by you
• ते: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (Vedic/epic usage for त्वया) — instrumental ‘by you’

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — address ‘O mighty-armed’

• नागाः: Nāgas
• नागाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘Nāgas/serpents’

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having gone’

• रसातलम्: Rasātala (netherworld)
• रसातलम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — goal of motion with gatvā

• वासुकिः: Vāsuki
• वासुकिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper name

• तक्षकः: Takṣaka
• तक्षकः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper name

• शङ्खः: Śaṅkha
• शङ्खः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper name

• जटी: Jaṭī
• जटी: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper name

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वशम्: into subjection
• वशम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — object with āhṛtāḥ (‘brought into subjection’)

• आहृताः: were brought
• आहृताः: कर्मणि-भाव (Karmani/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘were brought’

Context

"O mighty armed king! Going to the subterranean world, you won over the serpent demons Vasuki, Takshaka, Shanka and Jati and made them submit to you."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rasātala
• Nāgas
• Vāsuki
• Takṣaka
• Śaṅkha

FAQs

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

The passage shows how fame can be built on subjugation; dharma asks whether power is exercised for protection and justice or merely for domination.

What is the narrative situation?

The Rākṣasas continue praising Rāvaṇa, listing his expedition to Rasātala and his victory over prominent Nāgas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearlessness and capacity for conquest—qualities that require dharmic restraint to become virtues rather than instruments of adharma.