Shloka 14

युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च

Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel

Devanagari script

तनुमध्यापृथुश्रोणीशरदिन्दुनिभानना ।हेमबिम्बनिभासौम्यामायेवमयनिर्मिता ।।6.12.14।।

Transliteration

tanumadhyā pṛthuśroṇī śaradindunibhānanā |

hemabimbanibhā saumyā māyeva mayanirmitā ||6.12.14||

Translation

അവൾ സുന്ദരമായ സ്ലിം അരയും വിശാല നിതംബവും ഉള്ളവൾ; ശരദൃതുവിലെ പൂർണ്ണചന്ദ്രനെപ്പോലെ മുഖം; സൗമ്യയായി, സ്വർണമൂർത്തിപോലെ ദീപ്തിയായി—മായ തന്നെ നിർമ്മിച്ച മോഹിനിയെന്നപോലെ.

Word by Word

• तनुमध्या: slender-waisted
• तनुमध्या: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तनु + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘तनुं मध्यं यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पृथुश्रोणी: broad-hipped
• पृथुश्रोणी: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु + श्रोणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘पृथ्वी श्रोणी यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शरदिन्दुनिभानना: having a face like the autumn moon
• शरदिन्दुनिभानना: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरद् + इन्दु + निभ + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘शरदिन्दुनिभं आननं यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हेमबिम्बनिभा: golden-image-like
• हेमबिम्बनिभा: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + बिम्ब + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘हेमबिम्बनिभा (कान्तिः) यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सौम्या: gentle; lovely
• सौम्या: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• माया: magic; illusion
• माया: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• मयनिर्मिता: made by Maya
• मयनिर्मिता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मय + √निर्मा/√मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ‘मयेन निर्मिता’; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

Context

"Beholding her smooth red soles and evenly shaped pinkish nails of feet, love is kindled in me."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Māyā

FAQs

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

By portraying beauty as ‘māyā-like,’ the passage implicitly warns that fascination can cloud discernment; dharma requires mastery over desire and clear moral judgment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa reflects on Sītā’s beauty, his mind moving toward obsession—setting up the ethical contrast between uncontrolled kāma and righteous restraint.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively, the lack of self-restraint; by contrast, the Ramayana’s dharmic ideal is indriya-nigraha (control of the senses).