Shloka 16

युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च

Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel

Devanagari script

हुताग्निरर्चिस्सङ्काशामेनांसौरीमिवप्रभाम् ।उन्नसंविमलंवल्गुविपुलांचारुलोचनम् ।।6.12.16।।पश्यंस्तदवशस्तस्याःकामस्यवशमेयिवान् ।

Transliteration

hutāgnirarcissaṅkāśām enāṃ saurīm iva prabhām |

unnasaṃ vimalaṃ valgu vipulāṃ cārulocanam ||6.12.16||

paśyaṃs tad avaśas tasyāḥ kāmasya vaśam eyivān |

Translation

ഹോമാഗ്നിയുടെ ജ്വാലപോലെ ദീപ്തയും സൂര്യപ്രഭപോലെ കാന്തിയുമുള്ള—ഉന്നത നാസികയുള്ള, നിർമലവും മനോഹരവും വിശാലവുമായ മുഖം, മനോഹരനേത്രങ്ങൾ ഉള്ള അവളെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ നിർവശനായി കാമത്തിന്റെ അധീനതയിൽ വീണുപോയി.

Word by Word

• हुताग्निरर्चिस्सङ्काशाम्: resembling the flame of the sacrificial fire
• हुताग्निरर्चिस्सङ्काशाम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुताग्नि + अर्चिस् + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘हुताग्नेरर्चिसा सङ्काशा (प्रभा) यस्याः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (एनाम्)

• एनाम्: her
• एनाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सौरीम्: solar; of the sun
• सौरीम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौरि/सौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रभाम्)

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

• प्रभाम्: radiance; glow
• प्रभाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object in apposition to एनाम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उन्नसम्: with prominent nose
• उन्नसम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् + नास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘उन्नता नासा यस्याः’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (चारुलोचनम्/एनाम्)

• विमलम्: spotless; pure
• विमलम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वल्गु: charming
• वल्गु: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वल्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विपुलाम्: broad; large
• विपुलाम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (understood with some feminine noun like ‘प्रभाम्/कान्तिम्’)

• चारुलोचनम्: beautiful-eyed
• चारुलोचनम्: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ‘चारुणि लोचनानि यस्याः’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (एनाम्)

• पश्यन्: seeing
• पश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश्/√दृश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अवशः: helpless
• अवशः: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied subject)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कामस्य: of desire
• कामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वशम्: control; power
• वशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एयिवान्: had come under; entered
• एयिवान्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (perfective participle) ‘having gone/entered’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

Context

"I have been disturbed by passion, which is equal in anger or happiness and makes one pale in grief or agony."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Sun (Sūrya)
• sacrificial fire (huta-agni)

FAQs

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

A dharmic life requires inner sovereignty; surrendering agency to kāma is portrayed as moral decline, since it leads to violation of truth and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa describes Sītā’s radiance and admits that his will has become captive to desire, foreshadowing further unethical decisions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The contrasted virtue is self-command (ātma-vaśyatā); the verse dramatizes its collapse under obsession.