Shloka 2

रावणस्यात्मप्रशंसा लङ्कावर्णनं च

Ravana’s Self-Praise and the Description of Lanka

Devanagari script

भ्राता वैश्रवणस्याहं सापत्न्यो वरवर्णिनि।रावणो नाम भद्रं ते दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान्।।।।

Transliteration

bhrātā vaiśravaṇasyāhaṃ sāpatnyo varavarṇini | rāvaṇo nāma bhadraṃ te daśagrīvaḥ pratāpavān ||

Translation

ഹേ സുന്ദരവർണിനി, ഞാൻ വൈശ്രവണൻ (കുബേരൻ) എന്ന രാജാവിന്റെ സഹോദരൻ, മറ്റൊരു ഭാര്യയിൽ ജനിച്ചവൻ. എന്റെ നാമം രാവണൻ—ദശഗ്രീവൻ, മഹാപ്രതാപി. നിനക്കു മംഗളം ഉണ്ടാകട്ടെ.

Word by Word

• bhrātā: brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• vaiśravaṇasya: of Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• vaiśravaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• sāpatnyaḥ: (his) stepbrother / born of a co-wife
• sāpatnyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāpatnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'born of a co-wife/stepmother' (सापत्न्य = co-wife relation)

• vara-varṇini: O beautiful-complexioned lady
• vara-varṇini: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara + varṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Feminine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha-marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; naming particle (नाम)

• bhadram: good fortune, auspiciousness
• bhadram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; used as benedictive expression

• te: to you/for you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular

• daśa-grīvaḥ: ten-necked/ten-headed
• daśa-grīvaḥ: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + grīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) 'one who has ten necks/heads'; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet of Rāvaṇa

• pratāpavān: mighty, powerful
• pratāpavān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratāpa-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; possessive adjective (मतुप्/वत्)

Context

O paragon of beauty I am the halfbrother of Kubera, born of his stepmother. I am known as the tenheaded, powerful Ravana. Be blessed

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Identity and power are presented as grounds for persuasion; dharma teaches that status does not justify wrongdoing. Satya in self-description is insufficient without righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa reveals his name, lineage connection to Kubera, and epithet Daśagrīva while addressing Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral discernment: she must judge by dharma and truth of action, not by lineage or might.