Shloka 29

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

नूनं लङ्का हते पापे रावणे राक्षसाधमे।शोषं यास्यति दुर्धर्षा प्रमदा विधवा यथा।।।।

Transliteration

nūnaṃ laṅkā hate pāpe rāvaṇe rākṣasādhame |

śoṣaṃ yāsyati durdharṣā pramadā vidhavā yathā ||

Translation

நிச்சயமாக, பாவி—ராக்ஷசாதமனான—ராவணன் கொல்லப்பட்டபின், ஒருகாலத்தில் அசைக்க முடியாத லங்கை, விதவைப் பெண்ணைப் போலச் சோகத்தில் வாடி உலர்ந்து குன்றிவிடும்॥

Word by Word

नूनम्surely

लङ्काLanka

हतेwhen (he) is slain

पापेsinful

रावणेwhen Ravana (is slain)

राक्षसाधमेlowest of demons

शोषम्withering, drying up

यास्यतिwill go to, will become

दुर्धर्षाhard to assail

प्रमदाa woman

विधवाwidowed

यथाlike, as

Context

"Surely this impregnable Lanka will wither up (lose its splendour) and appear like a widow when this sinful Ravana, a mean demon is killed.

Characters & Entities

Laṅkā

Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Unrighteous sovereignty collapses when its adharma-centered leader falls; a kingdom’s apparent strength cannot outlast moral corruption.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā predicts Laṅkā’s decline after Rāvaṇa’s death, using the poignant simile of widowhood to show the city’s loss of protector and glory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment: Sītā names Rāvaṇa’s evil plainly and ties political fate to ethical conduct.