Shloka 103

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct

Devanagari script

सप्रविश्यपुरींलङ्कांराक्षसेन्द्रोविभीषणः ।।।।रावणस्याअग्निहोत्रंतुनिर्यापयतिसत्वरम् ।

Transliteration

sa praviśya purīṃ laṅkāṃ rākṣasendro vibhīṣaṇaḥ |

rāvaṇasyāgnihotraṃ tu niryāpayati satvaram ||

Translation

ലങ്കാപുരിയിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച രാക്ഷസേന്ദ്രനായ വിഭീഷണൻ രാവണന്റെ അഗ്നിഹോത്ര സംബന്ധമായ ക്രിയാകർമങ്ങളുടെ ഒരുക്കം ഉടൻ തന്നെ നടത്തി.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• पुरीम्: the city
• पुरीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लङ्काम्: Laṅkā
• लङ्काम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — पुरीम् इति विशेषण/अपपद

• राक्षसेन्द्रः: lord of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विभीषणः: Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — राक्षसेन्द्रः इति समानाधिकरण

• रावणस्य: of Rāvaṇa
• रावणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अग्निहोत्रम्: the agnihotra rite; fire-offering
• अग्निहोत्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + होत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed; however
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), विरोध/अनुवाद (contrast/emphasis)

• निर्यापयति: carries out; completes
• निर्यापयति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + यापय् (धातु; यापयति causative of या)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सत्वरम्: quickly; in haste
• सत्वरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + त्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास, अव्यय (adverb)

Context

Vibheeshana entered the city of Lanka and carried out fire sacrifice quickly for Ravana, the king of Rakshasas.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• agnihotra (sacred fire rite)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes maintaining sacred rites and social order even after catastrophe. Proper ritual action is treated as a stabilizing duty of leadership.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa enters Laṅkā and quickly sets in motion the fire-ritual arrangements connected with Rāvaṇa’s last rites.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Administrative responsibility and promptness—Vibhīṣaṇa acts decisively to fulfill obligatory rites.