Shloka 10

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

दानवेन्द्रोमधुर्नामवीर्योत्सिक्तोदुरासदः ।विगृह्यवशमानीतःकुम्भीनस्याःसुखावहः ।।।।

Transliteration

dānavendro madhur nāma vīryotsikto durāsadaḥ |

vigṛhya vaśam ānītaḥ kumbhīnasyāḥ sukhāvahaḥ ||

Translation

കുംഭീനസിക്ക് സുഖം നൽകുന്നവനും, സ്വന്തം വീര്യത്തിൽ അഹങ്കരിക്കുന്നവനും, തോൽപ്പിക്കാൻ പ്രയാസമുള്ളവനുമായ മധു എന്ന ദാനവരാജാവിനെ അങ്ങ് യുദ്ധത്തിൽ കീഴ്പ്പെടുത്തി.

Word by Word

• दानव-इन्द्रः: lord of Danavas
• दानव-इन्द्रः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘lord of Danavas’

• मधुः: Madhu
• मधुः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper name

• नाम: by name
• नाम: विशेषण-निर्देश (Appositive marker/नाम-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (particle) — ‘by name/called’

• वीर्य-उत्सिक्तः: proud of valor
• वीर्य-उत्सिक्तः: विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सिक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘puffed up with valor’

• दुरासदः: hard to approach
• दुरासदः: विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘hard to approach’

• विगृह्य: having fought
• विगृह्य: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having fought/quarrelled’

• वशम्: into subjection
• वशम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — object with ānītaḥ (‘brought under control’)

• आनीतः: was brought
• आनीतः: कर्मणि-भाव (Karmani/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘was brought’

• कुम्भीनस्याः: of Kumbhinasī
• कुम्भीनस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भीनसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — genitive ‘of Kumbhīnasī’

• सुख-आवहः: bringing joy
• सुख-आवहः: विशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘bringing happiness’

Context

"Madhu, another ruler of Danavas who was proud of his valour and difficult to approach, the husband of Kumbhinasi was subjugated by you by your offering to fight with him."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Madhu (Dānava)
• Dānavas
• Kumbhīnasī

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a common ethical tension: political power celebrates conquest, but Ramayana repeatedly distinguishes mere dominance from dharmic legitimacy.

What is the narrative situation?

Rākṣasas praise Rāvaṇa by recounting how he subdued formidable beings such as the Dānava king Madhu.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāvaṇa’s martial capability is praised; the epic later critiques capability without restraint or righteousness.