Shloka 41

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

तेषामेवंप्रभावाणांयुष्माकंराक्षसर्षभाः ।।।।कथंभयमसम्बुद्धंमानुषादिदमागतम् ।

Transliteration

teṣām evaṃ-prabhāvāṇāṃ yuṣmākaṃ rākṣasarṣabhāḥ |

kathaṃ bhayam asambuddhaṃ mānuṣād idam āgatam ||

Translation

ഹേ രാക്ഷസവൃഷഭന്മാരേ! നിങ്ങളിൽ ഇത്തരമൊരു മഹാപ്രഭാവം ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കെ, ഒരു സാധാരണ മനുഷ്യനിൽ നിന്ന് ഈ അപ്രതീക്ഷിത ഭയം നിങ്ങളെ എങ്ങനെ പിടികൂടി?

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• एवं: thus, in such a way
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रभावाणाम्: of (those) mighty/effulgent ones
• प्रभावाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• युष्माकम्: of you (all)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun)

• राक्षसर्षभाः: O bulls among the Rakshasas
• राक्षसर्षभाः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: 'bulls among rākṣasas')

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• असम्बुद्धम्: unknown, unrecognized
• असम्बुद्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + सम्बुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बुध्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त (negated), भूतकृदन्त (past participial adjective)

• मानुषात्: from a human
• मानुषात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• आगतम्: has come, has arisen
• आगतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे 'has come/has arrived'

Context

"O Bull among Rakshasas! You are such a famous king. This fear from a human is unknown. How did it come?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• mānuṣa (human—Rāma implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma teaches that moral order can overturn brute superiority; underestimating a righteous opponent (even if “human”) is a failure of discernment and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī marvels at the reversal: the mighty Rākṣasas are brought low by Rāma, a human embodiment of dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Recognition of satya (reality) over propaganda: she confronts the fact of defeat despite past power.