Shloka 17

रावणस्यात्मप्रशंसा लङ्कावर्णनं च

Ravana’s Self-Praise and the Description of Lanka

Devanagari script

सर्वराक्षसभर्तारं कामात्स्वयमिहागतम्।न मन्मथशराविष्टं प्रत्याख्यातुं त्वमर्हसि।।।।

Transliteration

sarvarākṣasabhartāraṃ kāmāt svayam ihāgatam | na manmathaśarāviṣṭaṃ pratyākhyātuṃ tvam arhasi ||

Translation

കാമവശനായി സ്വയം ഇവിടെ വന്ന, മന്മഥന്റെ ശരങ്ങളാൽ വേദനിതനായ, സർവ്വരാക്ഷസങ്ങളുടെ ഭർത്താവായ എന്നെ നീ നിരസിക്കരുത്.

Word by Word

• सर्व-राक्षस-भर्तारम्: the lord of all demons
• सर्व-राक्षस-भर्तारम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां राक्षसानां भर्ता); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• कामात्: out of passion
• कामात्: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम्; Ablative ‘from/owing to desire’

• स्वयम्: myself / in person
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; emphasis/reflexive adverb ‘oneself’

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आगतम्: come
• आगतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; agrees with भर्तारम्

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• मन्मथ-शर-आविष्टम्: pierced/overcome by Love’s arrows
• मन्मथ-शर-आविष्टम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √विश् with आ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (मन्मथस्य शरैः आविष्टम्); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; agrees with भर्तारम्

• प्रत्याख्यातुम्: to reject
• प्रत्याख्यातुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ख्या (धातु) + प्रति (उपसर्ग) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to reject’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• अर्हसि: ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; parasmaipada

Context

I am lord of all the demons. You should not reject me I am here (only because I am) overcome by the arrows of the god of love.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma condemns coercive entitlement in relationships; desire is not a moral license. Satya and maryādā require respect for consent and rightful bonds.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa identifies himself as supreme among rākṣasas and argues that Sītā should not refuse him because he is love-struck.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s integrity and refusal to compromise dharma—even under intimidation by status and power.