Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 93, Shloka 12

Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint

Devanagari script

अद्यनैरृतकन्यानांश्रोष्याम्यन्तःपुरेरवम् ।।।।करेणुसङ्घस्ययथानिनादंगिरिगह्वरे ।

Transliteration

adya nairṛta-kanyānāṃ śroṣyāmy antaḥpure ravam | kareṇu-saṅghasya yathā ninādaṃ giri-gahvare ||

Translation

วันนี้ ภายในห้องในแห่งวัง ข้าจะได้ยินเสียงร่ำไห้ของสาวรากษสี—ดุจเสียงแตรร้องของโขลงช้างพังที่ก้องกังวานในถ้ำภูผา

Word by Word

• adya: today
• adya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• nairṛtakan yānām: of the rākṣasa maidens
• nairṛtakan yānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta + kanyā (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nairṛtānāṃ kanyāḥ = rākṣasa-maidens); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• śroṣyāmi: I will hear
• śroṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• antaḥpure: in the inner palace (gynaeceum)
• antaḥpure: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaḥpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (antaḥ + pura = inner apartments); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ravam: cry, wailing
• ravam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kareṇusaṅghasya: of a herd of she-elephants
• kareṇusaṅghasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kareṇu + saṅgha (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kareṇūnāṃ saṅghaḥ = herd of female elephants); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक/प्रकारवाचक (as/like)

• ninādam: roar, loud sound
• ninādam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nināda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-उपमेयसम्बन्धे (object of implied comparison)

• girigahvare: in a mountain cave/cleft
• girigahvare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri + gahvara (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (gireḥ gahvaram = mountain-cave/cleft); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Context

'Today in the gynaecium we will hear the cries of Rakshasa maidens like the roaring of elephants in the cave'.

Characters & Entities

• Antaḥpura (inner palace)
• Mountain caves (giri-gahvara)

FAQs

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

Adharma culminates in collective suffering; the lament in the palace signals how a ruler’s path brings grief to dependents.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa anticipates the mourning that will erupt among the women of the palace after Indrajit’s death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a virtue but a consequence: the household’s sorrow reflects the cost of violent ambition.