Shloka 31

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

अल्पपुण्यात्वहंघोरेपतिताशोकसागरे ।कैलासेमन्दरेमेरौतथाचैत्ररथेवने ।।।।देवोद्यानेषुसर्वेषुविहृत्यसहितात्वया ।विमानेनानुरूपेणयायाम्यतुलयाश्रिया ।।।।पश्यन्तिविविधान्देशांस्तांस्तांश्चित्रस्रगम्बरा ।भ्रम्शिताकामभोगेभ्यःसास्मिवीरवधात्तव ।।।।सैवान्येवास्मिसम्वृत्ताधिग्राज्ञांचञ्चलाःश्रियः ।

Transliteration

alpapuṇyā tv ahaṃ ghore patitā śokasāgare |

kailāse mandare merau tathā caitrarathe vane ||

devodyāneṣu sarveṣu vihṛtya sahitā tvayā |

vimānenānurūpeṇa yāyāmy atulayā śriyā ||

paśyantī vividhān deśān tāṃs tāṃś citrasragambarā |

bhraṃśitā kāmabhogebhyaḥ sāsmi vīra vadhāt tava ||

saivānyevā smi saṃvṛttā dhig rājñāṃ cañcalāḥ śriyaḥ ||

Translation

ข้าพเจ้า ผู้มีบุญน้อยนัก ได้ตกลงสู่มหาสมุทรแห่งความโศกอันน่าสะพรึงกลัวนี้ ครั้งหนึ่งข้าพเจ้าเคยท่องไปกับท่านยังไกรลาส มันทระ เมรุ และพนไพรไจตรรถะ ได้รื่นรมย์ในอุทยานทิพย์ทั้งปวง เคียงคู่ท่านโดยวิมานอันสมควร ด้วยศรีสง่าที่หาที่เปรียบมิได้ สวมพวงมาลัยและอาภรณ์วิจิตร ข้าพเจ้าได้เห็นแว่นแคว้นนานา แต่บัดนี้เพราะท่านผู้กล้าถูกสังหาร ข้าพเจ้าถูกพรากจากสุขแห่งกามคุณ อนิจจา—ศรีของกษัตริย์ช่างแปรปรวน ข้าพเจ้าไม่เหมือนเดิมอีกแล้ว

Word by Word

अल्पपुण्याof little merit

तुbut/indeed

अहम्I

घोरेin the terrible

पतिताfallen

शोकसागरेin the ocean of grief

कैलासेon Kailasa

मन्दरेon Mandara

मेरौon Meru

तथाalso/likewise

चैत्ररथेin (the) Caitraratha (grove)

वनेin the forest/grove

Context

"O Hero! Whose stock of merit was less, that you have tumbled down into an ocean of grief. I, having sported with you, clad in picturesque robes and the like, by the aerial car Chaitra ratha on mount Kailasa, Mount Meru and Mandara as well as in divine gardens all over, and various lands with matchless splendour, have been deprived of sensual pleasures because of your falling down. What a pity I am surrounded by ordinary women changed into another woman with fleeting fortunes!"

Characters & Entities

Mandodarī

Rāvaṇa

Kailāsa

Mandara

Meru

Caitraratha-vana

Vimāna (aerial car)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches impermanence: worldly śrī (splendor, fortune) is cañcalā (unstable). Dharma urges detachment from pride in power and luxury, recognizing that ethical failure can overturn prosperity.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī mourns Rāvaṇa, remembering their former celestial pleasures and travels, and contrasts that past magnificence with her present desolation after his death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clear-eyed realism and reflective wisdom in grief: Mandodarī acknowledges the instability of royal fortune and the fragility of pleasure.