Shloka 10

रावणस्यात्मप्रशंसा लङ्कावर्णनं च

Ravana’s Self-Praise and the Description of Lanka

Devanagari script

मम पारे समुद्रस्य लङ्का नाम पुरी शुभा।सम्पूर्णा राक्षसैर्घोरैर्यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती।।।।

Transliteration

mama pāre samudrasya laṅkā nāma purī śubhā | sampūrṇā rākṣasair ghorair yathendrasyāmarāvatī || 3.48.10 ||

Translation

സമുദ്രത്തിന്റെ അപ്പുറക്കരയിൽ ‘ലങ്കാ’ എന്ന എന്റെ ശോഭനപുരി സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നു; ഭയങ്കരരാക്ഷസന്മാരാൽ നിറഞ്ഞത്, ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ അമരാവതിയെപ്പോലെ.

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• pāre: on the far shore
• pāre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• samudrasya: of the ocean
• samudrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; of the sea)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• laṅkā: Lanka
• laṅkā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Visheshana (विशेषण/namely)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नामार्थक-निपात

• purī: city
• purī: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śubhā: auspicious
• śubhā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of purī

• sampūrṇā: filled
• sampūrṇā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam+pṝ (पॄ धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of purī

• rākṣasaiḥ: with demons
• rākṣasaiḥ: Karana (करण; with/with by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ghoraiḥ: terrible
• ghoraiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of rākṣasaiḥ

• yathā: like
• yathā: Upamāna (उपमान/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थक (comparative particle: like/as)

• indrasya: of Indra
• indrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• amarāvatī: Amaravati
• amarāvatī: Upamāna (उपमान; standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amarāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

My city known as Lanka, teeming with terrific demons, is on the other side of the sea. It is beautiful like the city of Indra's Amaravati.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Laṅkā
• sea (samudra)
• rākṣasas
• Indra
• Amarāvatī

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how adharma often masks itself with splendor—boasting and intimidation are used to pressure a righteous person to abandon truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa tries to impress and frighten Sītā by describing Laṅkā’s grandeur and its rākṣasa might.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast: Sītā’s steadfastness is tested against wealth and power; the verse foregrounds Rāvaṇa’s pride and coercive persuasion.