Shloka 1

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ताराक्षसेन्द्रेणराक्षसास्तेमहाबलाः ।ऊचुःप्रान्जलयःसर्वेरावणंराक्षसेश्वरम् ।।।।

Transliteration

ity uktā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasās te mahābalāḥ |

ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve rāvaṇaṃ rākṣaseśvaram ||

Translation

രാക്ഷസരാജാവിനാൽ ഇപ്രകാരം പറയപ്പെട്ട ആ മഹാബലവാന്മാരായ രാക്ഷസന്മാർ എല്ലാവരും കൈകൂപ്പി രാക്ഷസേശ്വരനായ രാവണനോട് പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle

• uktāḥ: having been spoken to
• uktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of following speech-act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त) in passive sense; Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); "having been addressed/said to"

• rākṣasa-indreṇa: by the lord of the rakshasas
• rākṣasa-indreṇa: Karaṇa (करण) / Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (rākṣasendra = "lord of rakshasas"); Puṃliṅga (m.), Tṛtīyā (Instr. 3), Ekavacana (sg.)

• rākṣasāḥ: rakshasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); demonstrative qualifying "rākṣasāḥ"

• mahābalāḥ: mighty
• mahābalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya compound (mahā-bala = "great strength"); Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); qualifying "rākṣasāḥ"

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (pl.), Parasmaipada

• prāñjalayaḥ: with folded hands
• prāñjalayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); "with folded hands" (gesture adjective)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.); qualifying "rākṣasāḥ"

• rāvaṇam: Ravana
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• rākṣasa-īśvaram: the lord of the rakshasas
• rākṣasa-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (rākṣaseśvara = "lord of rakshasas"); Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.); apposition to "rāvaṇam"

Context

All the Rakshasas of mighty strength, having heard the Lord of Rakshasas, thus spoke to their leader, greeting with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse introduces the ethics of counsel and loyalty: respect is shown to authority, but the broader Ramayana frames that loyalty as meaningful only when aligned with dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa speaks, the assembled Rākṣasas respond formally, greeting him with folded hands and addressing him in court.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courtly discipline and unity—though ethically ambiguous in the epic when used to support adharma.