Shloka 9

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct

Devanagari script

यदैव च जनस्थानेराक्षसैर्भहुनिर्ववृतः ।खरस्तवहतोभ्रातातदैवासौ न मानुषः ।।।।

Transliteration

yadaiva ca janasthāne rākṣasair bahunirvavṛtaḥ |

kharas tava hato bhrātā tadaivāsau na mānuṣaḥ ||

Translation

జనస్థానంలో అనేక రాక్షసులతో చుట్టుముట్టబడి ఉన్న నీ అన్న ఖరుడు హతుడైనప్పుడే, అతడు (రాముడు) సామాన్య మనిషి కాదని స్పష్టమైంది।

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-कालवाचक अव्यय (correlative: when)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis: just/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• जनस्थाने: at Janasthāna
• जनस्थाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• राक्षसैः: by rākṣasas
• राक्षसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बहु: many
• बहु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to राक्षसैः)

• निर्वृतः: surrounded
• निर्वृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP: 'enclosed/surrounded'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to implied subject)

• खरः: Khara
• खरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• हतः: killed
• हतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP: killed), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to खरः)

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to खरः

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मानुषः: a mere human
• मानुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

Context

" At Janasthana your brother Khara, who was surrounded by many Rakshasas, was killed by a mortal in the same manner."

Characters & Entities

• Janasthāna
• Khara
• Rākṣasas
• Rāma (implied by context as the slayer)

FAQs

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

Ignoring clear warnings leads to ruin; Dharma requires heeding truth when signs reveal a higher moral order at work.

What is the narrative situation?

A queen reminds Mandodarī of the earlier defeat at Janasthāna as evidence that Rāma was extraordinary.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment—reading past events as moral instruction rather than random misfortune.