Shloka 9

रावण-सारथि-संवादः

Ravana and the Charioteer: Counsel, Omens, and Battlefield Conduct

Devanagari script

निवर्तयरथंशीघ्रंयावन्नापैतिमेरिपुः ।यदिवाध्युषितोऽसित्वंस्मर्यतेयदिमेगुणः ।।।।

Transliteration

nivartaya rathaṃ śīghraṃ yāvan nāpaiti me ripuḥ | yadi vā adhyuṣito 'si tvaṃ smaryate yadi me guṇaḥ ||

Translation

Pusingkanlah kereta ini segera, sebelum musuhku berundur. Jika benar engkau telah lama bersamaku, dan masih mengingati jasa serta kebajikanku.

Word by Word

• निवर्तय: turn back
• निवर्तय: प्रेरणा-क्रिया (command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense 'make turn back'

• रथम्: the chariot
• रथम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: प्रकार (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: काल-अवधि (temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: अवधिवाचक-अव्यय (until/as long as)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अपैति: goes away, departs
• अपैति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रिपुः: enemy
• रिपुः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: शर्त (condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or/indeed)

• अध्युषितः: having dwelt (with me)
• अध्युषितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from √वस् with अधि-; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• असि: you are
• असि: क्रिया (copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्मर्यते: is remembered
• स्मर्यते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is remembered)

• यदि: if
• यदि: शर्त
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गुणः: virtue, merit
• गुणः: कर्ता (in passive: grammatical subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्मर्यते का? (subject of passive)

Context

"If you remember that you lived long with me and know my virtues, quickly turn back the chariot before my adversary with draws.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sārathi (charioteer)
• ripu (enemy, implicitly Rāma)

FAQs

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

It stresses faithfulness grounded in shared history and recognized virtues: dharma in relationships includes remembering obligations formed through long association and acting accordingly.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa commands the charioteer to return the chariot quickly so the confrontation with Rāma is not avoided.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Constancy in allegiance—remembering bonds and acting with timely resolve.