Shloka 82
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
येनसूदयसेशत्रून् समरेसूर्यवर्चसा ।।।।वज्रंवज्रधरस्येवसोऽयंतेसततार्चितः ।रणेबहुप्रहरणोहेमजापरिष्कृतः ।।।।परिघोव्यवकीर्णस्तेबाणैश्चिन्नैःसहस्रधा ।
yena sūdayase śatrūn samare sūrya-varcasā | vajraṁ vajra-dharasyeva so 'yaṁ te satatārcitaḥ | raṇe bahu-praharaṇo hema-jāla-pariṣkṛtaḥ | parigho vyavakīrṇas te bāṇaiś chinnaiḥ sahasradhā ||
Gada besi milikmu—bercahaya laksana Surya di medan perang, bagaikan vajra Indra, sentiasa engkau muliakan; dihiasi jalinan emas—dengannya engkau menewaskan ramai musuh—kini telah dipatahkan oleh anak panah menjadi seribu serpihan dan berselerak di merata tempat.
"The iron bar of yours which is effulgent like the Sun and closely resembles the thunderbolt of Indra, with which you have terminated your enemies in the combat, which is regularly worshipped by you, which is adorned with a network of gold, is broken into thousand pieces and lies scattered."
FAQs
Even revered instruments of power are transient; Dharma teaches that reliance on might without righteousness ends in collapse.
Mandodarī points to Rāvaṇa’s shattered weapon as tangible proof of defeat and the turning of fate.
The verse emphasizes discernment through symbols: recognizing the moral arc of events through visible signs of downfall.