Shloka 55

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

एवंप्रभावंभर्तारंदृष्टवारामेणपातितम् ।।।।स्थिरास्मियादेहमिमंधारयामिहतप्रिया ।

Transliteration

evaṃ prabhāvaṃ bhartāraṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmeṇa pātitam | sthirāsmi yā deham imaṃ dhārayāmi hatapriyā ||

Translation

ครั้นเห็นสวามีผู้ทรงเดชานุภาพเช่นนั้น ถูกพระรามทรงปราบให้ล้มลง ข้ายังยืนมั่นอยู่ แม้ผู้เป็นที่รักจะสูญสิ้นไปแล้ว ก็ยังประคองกายนี้ไว้ ณ ที่นี้

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• प्रभावम्: might/influence
• प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भर्तारम्: husband/lord
• भर्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• रामेण: by Rāma
• रामेण: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• पातितम्: felled/caused to fall
• पातितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचन (भर्तारम् इति कर्मपदेन सह)

• स्थिरा: steadfast
• स्थिरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• या: who (I who)
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• धारयामि: I bear/hold
• धारयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हतप्रिया: one whose beloved is slain
• हतप्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत + प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘हता प्रिया यस्याः सा’ (whose beloved is slain)

Context

"Such a husband of mine endowed with this kind of influence, killed by Rama, is lying here. Beholding the lover gone, I am holding this body and standing here."

Characters & Entities

• Mandodarī
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma here is truthful acceptance of reality (Satya) and endurance: even amid devastation, one bears life and faces the consequences of actions already set in motion.

What is the narrative situation?

Mandodarī, having seen Rāvaṇa killed by Rāma, expresses stunned grief and notes her own continued living despite the loss.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fortitude (dhairya): the ability to remain standing and endure sorrow when confronted with irreversible truth.