Shloka 68

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

अपनीयाश्रमाद्रामंयन्मृगच्छद्मनात्वया ।।।।आनीतारामपनतीसातत्तेकातर्यलक्षणम् ।

Transliteration

apanīyāśramād rāmaṃ yan mṛgacchadmanā tvayā |

ānītā rāmapatnī sā tat te kātarya-lakṣaṇam |

Translation

ด้วยการปลอมกายเป็นกวาง เจ้าล่อลวงพระรามให้ออกห่างจากอาศรม แล้วฉุดเอานางสีดา พระชายาของพระรามไป—นี่แลคือเครื่องหมายแห่งความขลาดของเจ้า

Word by Word

• अपनीय: having taken away
• अपनीय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having taken away’

• आश्रमात्: from the hermitage
• आश्रमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• यत्: which/that (fact)
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक relative pronoun

• मृग-च्छद्मना: by the deer-disguise
• मृग-च्छद्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग + छद्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मृगस्य छद्म’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• आनीता: was brought
• आनीता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘brought’

• राम-पत्नी: Rama's wife
• राम-पत्नी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘रामस्य पत्नी’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Prayojaka/Predicate marker (विधेय-सूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; ‘to you/your’ (context: ‘for you’)

• कातर्य-लक्षणम्: a mark of cowardice
• कातर्य-लक्षणम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कातर्य + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘कातर्यस्य लक्षणम्’

Context

"By your cowardly action of creating an illusory deer, you have brought Rama's consort from the hermitage."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Rāmapatnī)
• āśrama (hermitage)

FAQs

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

Deceit used to violate another’s household is adharmic; righteousness requires straightforward conduct, especially regarding women’s safety and consent.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker recalls the stratagem of the illusory deer that separated Rāma from Sītā, enabling her abduction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and honorable courage—contrasted with cowardice that hides behind trickery.