Shloka 46
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
स्निग्धेन्द्रनीलनीलंतुप्रांशुशैलोपमंमहत् ।।6.114.42।।केयूराङ्गदवैडूर्यमुक्ताहारस्रगुज्ज्वलम् ।कान्तंविहारेष्वधिकंदीप्तांसङ्ग्रामभूमिषु ।।6.114.43।।भात्याभरणभाभिर्यद्विद्युद्भिरिवतोयदः ।तदेवाद्यशरीरंतेतीक्ष्णैर्नैकशरैश्चितम् ।।6.114.44।।पुनर्दुर्लभसम्पर्शंपरिष्वक्तुं न शक्यते ।श्वाविधःशलकैर्यद्वद्भाणैर्लग्नैर्निरन्तरम् ।।6.114.45।।स्वर्पितैर्मर्मसुभृशंसञ्छिन्नस्नायुबन्धनम् ।क्षितौनिपतितंराजन् श्यामंवैरुधिरच्छवि ।।6.114.46।।वज्रप्रहाराभिहतोविकीर्णइवपर्वतः ।
svarpitair marmasu bhṛśaṃ sañchinna-snāyu-bandhanam |
kṣitau nipatitaṃ rājan śyāmaṃ vai rudhira-chavi ||6.114.46||
vajra-prahārābhihato vikīrṇa iva parvataḥ |
ഹേ രാജാവേ! മർമ്മസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ അമ്പുകൾ തറച്ച് ഞരമ്പുകൾ അറ്റുപോയി. വജ്രായുധമേറ്റ് തകർന്ന പർവ്വതം പോലെ നീ രക്തത്തിൽ കുളിച്ച് നിലത്തു കിടക്കുന്നു.
"O king! Your body which is gigantic like a mountain, dark like a sapphire adorned with Keyuras, Angadas, necklaces of cat's eye gems and pearls, which were charming when in the battlefield, and shone brightly on your body with the lustre of your jewels like a rainy cloud with flashes of lightning. It is fixed with numerous arrows cut into pieces by darts and difficult to touch. Since the darts are inserted deep into your vital parts, it is not possible to perform ablution. It is dark, soaked in blood, broken, and crushed like a mountain hit by thunderbolt. Alas, it is not possible to embrace."
FAQs
By portraying the fallen king’s body shattered by the results of violence, it underscores that adharma-driven aggression culminates in ruin, reminding rulers that power without righteousness leads to destruction.
The verse speaks with unembellished realism about the body struck down—arrows embedded, sinews severed, blood-stained—showing satya as the courage to face consequences as they are, not as one wishes them to be.