Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 108, Shloka 19

रावणरथवैभव–निमित्तदर्शन–राममातलिसंवादः

Ravana’s Chariot, Portents, and Rama–Matali Instructions

Devanagari script

ततोदेवास्सगन्धर्वास्सिद्धाश्चपरमर्षयः ।।।।समीयुर्द्वैरथंद्रष्टुंरावणक्षयकाङ्क्षिणः ।

Transliteration

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ | samīyur dvairathaṃ draṣṭuṃ rāvaṇakṣayakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

அப்போது தேவர்கள், கந்தர்வர்கள், சித்தர்கள், பரமரிஷிகள்—ராவணன் அழிவை விரும்பி—அந்த ரதப் போரைக் காண ஒன்றுகூடினர்.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya: 'thereafter'

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sa-gandharvāḥ: with Gandharvas
• sa-gandharvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (सह/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + gandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (sa- = 'with'); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'together with Gandharvas'

• siddhāḥ: Siddhas
• siddhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चयः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• parama-ṛṣayaḥ: great sages
• parama-ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• samīyuḥ: came together/assembled
• samīyuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√i (इ धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• dvairatham: duel (two-chariot fight)
• dvairatham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'two-chariot (duel)'

• draṣṭum: to see/witness
• draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Kridanta infinitive (tumunanta)

• rāvaṇa-kṣaya-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ: desiring Ravana’s destruction
• rāvaṇa-kṣaya-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṅkṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying the assembled beings: 'desiring Ravana’s destruction'

Context

In the sky, a huge flock of eagles hovering on the chariot of Ravana went following the chariot wherever it went.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Siddhas
• great sages (paramarṣis)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as cosmic order: when adharma peaks, the moral universe ‘witnesses’ and anticipates restoration through the fall of the unrighteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Celestial beings and sages gather as spectators to the climactic duel, emphasizing its world-order significance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes moral accountability: even kings are subject to a higher order observed by sages and gods.