Shloka 49

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

दृप्तानांनिग्रहीतारमाविष्कृतपराक्रमम् ।।।।लोकक्षोभयितारं च नादैर्भूतविराविणम् ।

Transliteration

dṛptānāṃ nigrahītāram āviṣkṛtaparākramam | lokakṣobhayitāraṃ ca nādair bhūtavirāviṇam ||

Translation

അഹങ്കാരികളെ അടിച്ചമർത്തിയവനേ, പരാക്രമം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചവനേ, ലോകത്തെ ക്ഷോഭിപ്പിച്ചവനേ, ഗർജ്ജനം കൊണ്ട് ജീവികളെ കരയിപ്പിച്ചവനേ!

Word by Word

• दृप्तानाम्: of the arrogant
• दृप्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √दृप्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी बहुवचन (Gen Pl)

• निग्रहीतारम्: subduer
• निग्रहीतारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (agent noun -तृ), पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन

• आविष्कृत: manifested
• आविष्कृत: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आविष्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), समासाङ्ग

• पराक्रमम्: prowess
• पराक्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘आविष्कृतः पराक्रमः यस्य’ (as bahuvrihi sense in context)

• लोक: world
• लोक: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• क्षोभयितारम्: agitator, tormentor
• क्षोभयितारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (causative agent noun -तृ from क्षोभयति), पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: लोकं क्षोभयति

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• नादैः: by roars/cries
• नादैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural)

• भूत: beings
• भूत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• विराविणम्: making beings cry out
• विराविणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√रु (धातु; विराविन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (possessive adjective -इन्), पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: भूतान् विरावयति/विरावः यस्य

Context

"You are a subduer of the arrogant, who manifested prowess, who tormented the world, who made the world cry with insolent words."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Loka (world)
• Bhūtas (beings/creatures)

FAQs

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

Intimidation and terror are not marks of Dharma. The verse implicitly contrasts fear-based dominance with the righteous authority that Rāma embodies.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī continues listing Rāvaṇa’s fearsome qualities, intensifying the pathos of his fallen state.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment: the verse invites reflection that ‘prowess’ without Dharma becomes destructive.