Shloka 100

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

मरणानान्तिवैराणिनिर्वृत्तंनःप्रयोजनम् ।।।।क्रियतामस्यसंस्कारोममाप्येषयथातव ।

Transliteration

maraṇān nānti vairāṇi nirvṛttaṃ naḥ prayojanam |

kriyatām asya saṃskāro mamāpy eṣa yathā tava ||

Translation

เพราะความพยาบาทย่อมไม่ดำรงอยู่หลังความตาย กิจของเราก็สำเร็จแล้ว จงประกอบสังสการ—พิธีศพ—แก่เขาเถิด นี่เป็นความประสงค์ของเราด้วย ดังเช่นของท่าน

Word by Word

• maraṇāntāni: ending with death
• maraṇāntāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of vairāṇi)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maraṇa + anta (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: maraṇam antaḥ yeṣām

• vairāṇi: enmities
• vairāṇi: Karta (कर्ता) (in nominal clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nirvṛttam: ended / ceased
• nirvṛttam: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with prayojanam

• naḥ: for us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prayojanam: purpose / need
• prayojanam: Karta (कर्ता) (in nominal clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kriyatām: let it be done
• kriyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); passive sense (कर्मणि)

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃskāraḥ: funeral rites
• saṃskāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive kriyatām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Samuccaya/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); refers to saṃskāraḥ

• yathā: as
• yathā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (यथाशब्द), 'as/according to'

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"There is no hostility after death for heroes. Let us perform his obsequies. I am also like that in this regard.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma after victory: hatred ends with death, and proper rites must be granted even to an enemy. Righteous conduct is maintained beyond personal emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa’s death, Rāma instructs Vibhīṣaṇa to perform Rāvaṇa’s last rites, declaring that hostility should not extend beyond death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s magnanimity and adherence to maryādā (ethical restraint), showing compassion and propriety even toward a fallen foe.