Shloka 23

रावणस्य सभाप्रवेशः

Ravana Enters the Royal Assembly and Summons Counsel

Devanagari script

तेवाहनाव्यवस्थाप्ययानानिविविधानिच ।सभांपद्भिःप्रविविशुस्सिंहागिरिगुहामिव ।।।।

Transliteration

te vāhanāny avasthāpya yānāni vividhāni ca |

sabhāṁ padbhiḥ praviviśuḥ siṁhā giri-guhām iva ||

Translation

انہوں نے دروازے پر اپنی طرح طرح کی سواریوں کو قرینے سے ٹھہرا کر، پھر پیدل دربارِ شاہی میں یوں داخل ہوئے جیسے شیر پہاڑ کی غار میں اترتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वाहनानि: vehicles
• वाहनानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• व्यवस्थाप्य: having arranged/parked
• व्यवस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); 'having arranged/parked'

• यानानि: conveyances
• यानानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण to यानानि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• सभाम्: assembly hall
• सभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पद्भिः: on foot/with feet
• पद्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया, बहुवचन; साधन (means)

• प्रविविशुः: entered
• प्रविविशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• सिंहाः: lions
• सिंहाः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• गिरि-गुहाम्: a mountain cave
• गिरि-गुहाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Genitive/locative sense: 'cave of a mountain'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

Context

They held the feet of the king and on offering salutations to the king took their seat. While some took golden seats, some sat on a kusa grass mat, and some took a se at on the floor.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• sabhā (royal court/assembly hall)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as maryādā (proper conduct): even powerful warriors follow procedure—arranging vehicles and entering formally—showing that strength is ideally governed by rule.

What is the narrative situation?

The assembled rākṣasas dismount and enter the sabhā in a disciplined manner.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for protocol and controlled power (strength expressed within social order).