Shloka 70

रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः

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

Devanagari script

अतीतानागतार्थज्ञोवर्तमानविचक्षणः ।।।।मैथिलीमाहृतांदृष्टवाध्यात्वानिःश्वस्यचायतम् ।सत्यवाक्यमहाबाहो देवरोमेयदब्रवीत् ।।।।अयंराक्षसमुख्यानांविनाशःपर्युपस्थितः ।कामक्रोधसमुत्थेनव्यसनेनप्रसङ्गिना ।।।।

Transliteration

atītānāgatārthajño vartamāna-vicakṣaṇaḥ |

maithilīm āhṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhyātvā niḥśvasya cāyatam |

satyavākya mahābāho devaro me yad abravīt |

ayaṃ rākṣasa-mukhyānāṃ vināśaḥ paryupasthitaḥ |

kāma-krodha-samutthena vyasanena prasaṅginā |

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาพาหุ พี่เขยของข้า—ผู้สัตย์วาจา รู้แจ้งอดีตและอนาคต และเฉียบแหลมต่อปัจจุบัน—ครั้นเห็นว่าไมถิลี (นางสีดา) ถูกพาไปแล้ว ก็ครุ่นคิดอยู่ครู่หนึ่ง ถอนใจยาว แล้วกล่าวว่า: “นี่คือความพินาศอันใกล้เข้ามาของเหล่ารากษสผู้เป็นใหญ่ เกิดจากเคราะห์กรรมที่ผุดขึ้นจากกามและโทสะ อันพัวพันต่อเนื่องไม่สิ้นสุด”

Word by Word

अतीत-अनागत-अर्थ-ज्ञःknower of past and future matters

वर्तमान-विचक्षणःdiscerning about the present

मैथिलीम्Maithili (Sita)

आहृताम्brought (away)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

ध्यात्वाhaving thought

निःश्वस्यhaving sighed

चand

आयतम्for a long time

सत्य-वाक्यO truthful one

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

देवरःbrother-in-law (husband's younger brother)

मेmy

यत्what (that)

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

अयम्this

राक्षस-मुख्यानाम्of the chief Rakshasas

विनाशःdestruction

पर्युपस्थितःhas come upon (is imminent)

काम-क्रोध-समुत्थेनarisen from desire and anger

व्यसनेनby calamity/addiction

प्रसङ्गिनाaccompanying (it)

Context

"Mighty armed King! Your brother, who is a knower of matters relating to future, present and past, a truthful one, after your getting Mythili, thought for a while and sighing spoke this. 'The destruction of Rakshasa chiefs is now sure to happen', has come true.' The desire for sensual pleasures and anger has resulted in your death and resulting in this calamity."

Characters & Entities

Rāvaṇa

Sītā (Maithilī)

Mandodarī (implied by 'me')

kāma (desire)

krodha (anger)

FAQs

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

Kāma (unrestrained desire) and krodha (anger) are dharma-destroying forces; ignoring truthful counsel leads not only to personal ruin but to collective catastrophe.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā’s abduction, a truthful advisor within Rāvaṇa’s circle foresees the annihilation of the Rākṣasa leadership; the speaker cites this prophecy as now fulfilled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya and viveka (truthfulness and discernment) in counsel—contrasted with the ruler’s indulgence in passion and rage.