Shloka 101

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

त्वत्सत्सकाशाद्धशग्रीवस्संस्कारंविधिपूर्वकम् ।।।।क्षिप्रमर्हतिधर्मेणत्वंयशोभाग्भविष्यसि ।

Transliteration

tvatsatsakāśād daśagrīvaḥ saṃskāraṃ vidhipūrvakam |

kṣipram arhati dharmeṇa tvaṃ yaśobhāg bhaviṣyasi ||

Translation

ทศครีวะพึงได้รับสังสการจากมือท่านเอง ตามแบบแผนและตามธรรมโดยชอบธรรม; เมื่อท่านกระทำดังนี้ ท่านจักได้เกียรติยศอันงามโดยเร็ว

Word by Word

• त्वत्: of you/your
• त्वत्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन (singular) — enclitic base used in compound

• सत्: in the presence (of)
• सत्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन — in compound sense ‘in the presence of’

• सकाशात्: from near; from the presence of
• सकाशात्: अपादान (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (postposition-like), अपादानार्थे (ablative sense)

• दशग्रीवः: the ten-necked one (Rāvaṇa)
• दशग्रीवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (possessive), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• संस्कारम्: funeral rite; obsequies
• संस्कारम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• विधि-पूर्वकम्: according to proper procedure
• विधि-पूर्वकम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially) ‘according to rule’

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अर्हति: deserves; is entitled to
• अर्हति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• धर्मेण: by righteousness; righteously
• धर्मेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन — हेतौ/प्रकारे (by righteousness; in a righteous manner)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यशो-भाग्: a sharer of fame; famed
• यशो-भाग्: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस् + भागिन्/भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘यशसः भागी’ (one who has a share of fame)

• भविष्यसि: you will become
• भविष्यसि: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Context

"Ten headed Ravana being so (knower of righteousness), he deserves your performance of his last rites as per tradition and righteously You will attain fame by doing this deed."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)
• vidhi (ritual rule)
• dharma
• yaśas (fame)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes performing obligatory rites with proper procedure—even for one who has fallen in adharma—because duty and right order (vidhi) are upheld beyond personal judgment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma encourages Vibhīṣaṇa to conduct Rāvaṇa’s funeral rites properly and assures him that such righteous action brings lasting honor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s potential for dharmic leadership: acting rightly for family and society, guided by propriety rather than bitterness.