Shloka 10

रावणवधदर्शनम्

Lament of the Rākṣasa Women upon Seeing Rāvaṇa Slain

Devanagari script

काचिदङ्केशिरःकृत्वारुरोदमुखमीक्षती ।स्नापयन्तीमुखंबाष्पैस्तुषारैरिवपङ्कजम् ।।।।

Transliteration

kācid aṅke śiraḥ kṛtvā ruroda mukham īkṣatī | snāpayantī mukhaṃ bāṣpais tuṣārair iva paṅkajam ||

Translation

ある女はその頭を膝に抱き、顔を見つめながら泣き崩れた。涙はその面を洗い、蓮華に降りる露のようであった。

Word by Word

• काचित्: some (woman)
• काचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक

• अङ्के: in the lap
• अङ्के: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• रुरोद: wept
• रुरोद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ईक्षती: looking (at it)
• ईक्षती: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īkṣ (धातु) + īkṣantī (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; विशेषण (of kācit)

• स्नापयन्ती: bathing (it)
• स्नापयन्ती: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snāpay (णिजन्त causative of स्ना/स्नै) (धातु) + snāpayantī (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; विशेषण (of kācit)

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• बाष्पैः: with tears
• बाष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तुषारैः: with dewdrops
• तुषारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tuṣāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• पङ्कजम्: a lotus
• पङ्कजम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṅkaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

One held his head on her lap, and one held his face and looking at it shed tears, like nature covers lotus with dew and roared.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasī women
• Lotus (paṅkaja)

FAQs

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

It calls attention to the human cost of adharma and violence: dharma includes sensitivity to the suffering of even the enemy’s family.

What is the narrative situation?

A close, intimate scene of mourning among the palace women around the slain Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Grief-bound devotion (anurāga) and tenderness in mourning.