Shloka 22

विराधवधः

The Slaying (Burial) of Viradha

Devanagari script

अवटे चापि मां राम प्रक्षिप्य कुशली व्रज।रक्षसां गतसत्त्वानामेष धर्मस्ससनातनः।अवटे ये निधीयन्ते तेषां लोकास्सनातनाः।।।।

Transliteration

avaṭe cāpi māṃ rāma prakṣipya kuśalī vraja |

rakṣasāṃ gatasattvānām eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ |

avaṭe ye nidhīyante teṣāṃ lokāḥ sanātanāḥ ||

Translation

โอ้พระราม จงทิ้งข้าพเจ้าลงในหลุม แล้วเสด็จไปโดยสวัสดี สำหรับรากษสผู้สิ้นชีวิตแล้ว นี่คือธรรมบัญญัติอันเป็นสันตติ: ผู้ใดถูกวางไว้ในหลุม ย่อมบรรลุโลกอันยั่งยืน

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: None (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), 'having said'

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-निपात (but/indeed)

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kākutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकुत्स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विराधः: Virādha
• विराधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शरपीडितः: pained by arrows
• शरपीडितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + पीडित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः शरैः पीडितः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्वर्गसम्प्राप्तः: having reached heaven
• स्वर्गसम्प्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः स्वर्गं सम्प्राप्तः (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष)

• न्यस्तदेहः: having cast off the body
• न्यस्तदेहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त (कृदन्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः न्यस्तः देहः यस्य (बहुव्रीह्यर्थेऽपि षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-रूपेण)

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः महत् + बल (कर्मधारय)

Context

Bury me in the pit, O Rama, and proceed happily. This is a great tradition for the deaddemons. Those who are buried in the pit attain heaven.

Characters & Entities

• Virādha
• Rāma
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as adherence to prescribed rites and orderly conduct even toward an enemy—completing what is due (a final disposal) rather than acting in cruelty or neglect.

What is the narrative situation?

Virādha requests that Rāma dispose of his body by placing it in a pit, presenting it as the proper custom for rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and propriety in victory: the episode frames even the end of a violent encounter within a rule-governed, dharmic closure.