Shloka 43

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

स्निग्धेन्द्रनीलनीलंतुप्रांशुशैलोपमंमहत् ।।6.114.42।।केयूराङ्गदवैडूर्यमुक्ताहारस्रगुज्ज्वलम् ।कान्तंविहारेष्वधिकंदीप्तांसङ्ग्रामभूमिषु ।।6.114.43।।भात्याभरणभाभिर्यद्विद्युद्भिरिवतोयदः ।तदेवाद्यशरीरंतेतीक्ष्णैर्नैकशरैश्चितम् ।।6.114.44।।पुनर्दुर्लभसम्पर्शंपरिष्वक्तुं न शक्यते ।श्वाविधःशलकैर्यद्वद्भाणैर्लग्नैर्निरन्तरम् ।।6.114.45।।स्वर्पितैर्मर्मसुभृशंसञ्छिन्नस्नायुबन्धनम् ।क्षितौनिपतितंराजन् श्यामंवैरुधिरच्छवि ।।6.114.46।।वज्रप्रहाराभिहतोविकीर्णइवपर्वतः ।

Transliteration

keyūrāṅgada-vaiḍūrya-muktāhāra-srag-ujjvalam |

kāntaṁ vihāreṣv adhikaṁ dīptaṁ saṅgrāma-bhūmiṣu ||6.114.43||

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา พระวรกายของพระองค์สว่างไสวด้วยพาหุรัดและกำไล ด้วยแก้วไวฑูรยะ (ตาแมว) สร้อยมุก และพวงมาลัย งามยิ่งในยามผ่อนพัก และเปล่งรัศมีรุ่งโรจน์ในสมรภูมิ

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यवसुभोक्तारम्: the enjoyer of the three-worlds' riches
• त्रैलोक्यवसुभोक्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य + वसु + भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'enjoyer of the treasures of the three worlds')

• त्रैलोक्योद्वेगदम्: causing distress to the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्योद्वेगदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य + उद्वेगद (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष ('giver of agitation to the three worlds')

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with implied masculine object)

• जेतारम्: the conqueror
• जेतारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जेतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √जि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक नाम (agent noun)

• लोकपालानाम्: of the world-guardians
• लोकपालानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('guardians of the worlds')

• क्षेप्तारम्: the thrower, one who cast down
• क्षेप्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेप्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √क्षिप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक नाम

• शङ्करस्य: of Shankara (Shiva)
• शङ्करस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Context

"O king! Your body which is gigantic like a mountain, dark like a sapphire adorned with Keyuras, Angadas, necklaces of cat's eye gems and pearls, which were charming when in the battlefield, and shone brightly on your body with the lustre of your jewels like a rainy cloud with flashes of lightning. It is fixed with numerous arrows cut into pieces by darts and difficult to touch. Since the darts are inserted deep into your vital parts, it is not possible to perform ablution. It is dark, soaked in blood, broken, and crushed like a mountain hit by thunderbolt. Alas, it is not possible to embrace."

Characters & Entities

• Ravana
• Angada
• Vaidurya

FAQs

How does this verse relate to Dharma in the Yuddhakanda context?

By contrasting Ravana’s former splendor with his fall, the verse underscores a dharmic warning: power and ornamentation are transient when one abandons righteous conduct; adharma ultimately leads to ruin even for the mighty.

Where is Satya (truth) reflected in this lament-like description?

Satya appears as unembellished recognition of reality: the speaker truthfully recalls Ravana’s brilliance yet implicitly faces the truth of impermanence—worldly beauty and strength cannot override moral consequence.