Shloka 1

युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च

Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel

Devanagari script

सतांपरिषदंकृत्स्नांसमीक्ष्यसमितिञ्जयः ।प्रचोदयामासतदाप्रहस्तंवाहिनीपतिम् ।।6.12.1।।

Transliteration

satāṃ pariṣadaṃ kṛtsnāṃ samīkṣya samitiṃjayaḥ | pracodayāmāsa tadā prahastaṃ vāhinīpatim ||

Translation

Kemudian Rāvaṇa, yang masyhur menaklukkan medan pertempuran, meninjau seluruh majlis para pembesar, lalu menggesa Prahasta, panglima bala tentera, supaya bertindak.

Word by Word

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; 'of the good/virtuous'

• परिषदम्: assembly, council
• परिषदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्स्नाम्: entire, whole
• कृत्स्नाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—'परिषदम्' इति

• समीक्ष्य: having observed
• समीक्ष्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); 'having observed/seen'

• समितिञ्जयः: the battle-victor
• समितिञ्जयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिति+जि (प्रातिपदिक; 'समितिं जयति' इति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रचोदयामास: urged, ordered
• प्रचोदयामास: क्रिया (Action/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: काल-अधिकरण (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• प्रहस्तम्: Prahastha
• प्रहस्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वाहिनीपतिम्: commander of the army
• वाहिनीपतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहिनी+पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('वाहिन्याः पतिः')

Context

Then Ravana who is victorious in wars, looking at the vast assembly (of Rakshasas) ordered Prahastha, the chief of the army.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Prahasta

FAQs

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

Leadership (rāja-dharma) is shown through decisive command structures; the epic also invites evaluation of whether such power is used for righteous ends.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa convenes/observes his council and directs Prahasta, his army-chief, to proceed with military measures.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic decisiveness (though ethically contested in the larger narrative), highlighting command responsibility in wartime.