Shloka 23

रावणस्यात्मप्रशंसा लङ्कावर्णनं च

Ravana’s Self-Praise and the Description of Lanka

Devanagari script

अपहृत्य शचीं भार्यां शक्यमिन्द्रस्य जीवितुम्।न च रामस्य भार्यां मामपनीयास्ति जीवितम्।।।।

Transliteration

apahṛtya śacīṃ bhāryāṃ śakyam indrasya jīvitum |

na ca rāmasya bhāryāṃ mām apanīyāsti jīvitam ||

Translation

ผู้ใดอาจยังมีชีวิตได้แม้ลักพาเทวีศจี พระชายาของพระอินทร์; แต่หากลักพาข้าผู้เป็นพระชายาของพระรามแล้ว ย่อมไม่มีชีวิตเหลือสำหรับผู้ลักพา

Word by Word

• अपहृत्य: having abducted
• अपहृत्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु) + अप (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund); ‘having abducted’

• शचीम्: Shachi
• शचीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; proper noun

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; apposition to शचीम्

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √शक्)
• Form: यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त भावे; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; ‘possible’

• इन्द्रस्य: of Indra
• इन्द्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

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

• च: and/but
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• अपनीय: having taken away
• अपनीय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु) + अप (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund); ‘having carried off’

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; subject of अस्ति

Context

O noble lady with my valour I gained over from Kubera the aerial chariot 'Pushpaka',which can go wherever one desires and in which I move about in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Indra
• Śacī

FAQs

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

Adharma—especially violating another’s marriage—inevitably brings destruction; Dharma protects marital integrity and condemns abduction.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā warns Rāvaṇa of the fatal consequences of kidnapping her, invoking Rāma’s power and righteousness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity and unwavering allegiance to Rāma, paired with fearless truth-speaking.