Shloka 16

अतिकायवधश्रवणं रावणस्य लङ्कारक्षाविधानम्

Ravana’s Reaction to Atikaya’s Death and the Fortification Orders for Lanka

Devanagari script

ततस्तेराक्षसास्सर्वेश्रुत्वालङ्काधिपस्यतत् ।वचनंसर्वमातिष्ठन् यथावत्तुमहाबलाः ।।।।

Transliteration

tatas te rākṣasāḥ sarve śrutvā laṅkādhipasya tat | vacanaṃ sarvam ātiṣṭhan yathāvat tu mahābalāḥ ||

Translation

そのとき、ランカーの主の言葉を聞いたすべての強大なる羅刹たちは、しかるべく命に従い、それぞれ定められた持ち場と務めに就いた。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• राक्षसाः: Rakshasas/demons
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) राक्षसाः इति

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• लङ्काधिपस्य: of the lord of Lanka
• लङ्काधिपस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā + adhipa (प्रातिपदिके; लङ्का + अधिप)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: लङ्कायाः अधिपः); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तत्: that (statement)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वचनम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषण (that)

• वचनम्: speech/command/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire/all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) वचनम् इति

• आतिष्ठन्: they undertook/they complied
• आतिष्ठन्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect, past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; धातु: स्था (to stand/undertake) उपसर्ग: आ

• यथावत्: properly/as prescribed
• यथावत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• महाबलाः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिके; महा + बल)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् बलं यस्य/महद्बलः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण राक्षसाः इति

Context

On hearing the words of the king of Lanka all Rakshasas and the great army got up.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Rāvaṇa (lord of Laṅkā)
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

It highlights obedience to command and orderly execution of duty—collective discipline as a social/royal ethic.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa’s instructions, the Rākṣasa forces respond by taking positions and implementing the defense measures.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Organized compliance and readiness—acting ‘yathāvat’ (properly, by procedure).