Shloka 29

Devanagari script

ततः प्रियं वाक्यमुपेत्य राक्षसा महार्थमष्टावभिवाद्य रावणम्।विहाय लङ्कां सहिताः प्रतस्थिरे यतो जनस्थानमलक्ष्यदर्शनाः।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ priyaṃ vākyam upetya rākṣasā mahārtham aṣṭāv abhivādya rāvaṇam |

vihāya laṅkāṃ sahitāḥ pratasthire yato janasthānam alakṣyadarśanāḥ ||

Translation

ततः प्रियं वाक्यमुपेत्य राक्षसा महार्थमष्टावभिवाद्य रावणम्। विहाय लङ्कां सहिताः प्रतस्थिरे यतो जनस्थानमलक्ष्यदर्शनाः॥

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• priyam: pleasing
• priyam: Karma (कर्म/object; qualifies 'vākyam')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vākyam: statement/words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म/object of 'upetya' in sense 'having received/approached')
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• upetya: having approached/received
• upetya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + i (धातु) + lyap (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund, ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थ); 'having approached/obtained'

• rākṣasāḥ: demons
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• mahārtham: of great meaning
• mahārtham: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + artha (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अर्थ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् अर्थः यस्य तत् = of great import); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'vākyam' विशेषण

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to rākṣasāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• abhivādya: having saluted
• abhivādya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + vad (धातु) + lyap (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund, ल्यप्); 'having saluted'

• rāvaṇam: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म/object of 'abhivādya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• vihāya: having left
• vihāya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + hā (धातु) + lyap (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund, ल्यप्); 'having left/abandoned'

• laṅkām: Laṅkā
• laṅkām: Apādāna (अपादान/source; place left)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• sahitāḥ: together
• sahitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); 'together/with one another'

• pratasthire: set out/departed
• pratasthire: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• yataḥ: whither/to where
• yataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक/सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (whither/in the direction where)

• janasthānam: Janasthāna
• janasthānam: Gati-karma (गतिकर्म/destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janasthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• alakṣyadarśanāḥ: unseen/invisible to sight
• alakṣyadarśanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of rākṣasāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + lakṣya + darśana (प्रातिपदिक; अलक्ष्य + दर्शन)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (येषां दर्शनं अलक्ष्यम् = whose appearance is unperceivable); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); subject-qualifier

Context

Ravana soon crossed the refuge of rivers, the abode of Varuna, god of the sea, inexhaustible ocean, and the home for whales and crocodiles.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Eight rākṣasas
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how unethical leadership mobilizes covert action; dharma demands transparency and righteous intent, not secrecy in wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

After hearing Rāvaṇa’s instructions, eight rākṣasas salute him and leave Laṅkā together, heading toward Jana­sthāna unseen.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative exemplar: discipline and coordination used for adharma; the epic warns that competence without righteousness becomes harmful.