Shloka 1

रावणस्य मन्त्रविचारः

Ravana’s Council on Strategy

Devanagari script

लङ्कायांतुकृतंकर्मघोरंदृष्टवाभयावहम् ।राक्षसेन्द्रोहनुमताशक्रेणेवमहात्मना ।।6.6.1।।अब्रवीद्राक्षसान् सर्वान्ह्रियाकिञ्चिदवाङ्मुखः ।

Transliteration

laṅkāyāṃ tu kṛtaṃ karma ghoraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayāvaham |

rākṣasendro hanumatā śakreṇeva mahātmanā ||6.6.1||

abravīd rākṣasān sarvān hriyā kiñcid avāṅmukhaḥ |

Translation

لَنکا میں ہنومان—اس مہاتما، شکر (اِندر) کے مانند پرتابی—کے ہاتھوں کیا گیا وہ ہولناک اور خوف انگیز کارنامہ دیکھ کر، رَکشسوں کا راجا کچھ شرمندہ سا، سر جھکائے، سب رَکشسوں سے یوں مخاطب ہوا۔

Word by Word

• laṅkāyām: in Laṅkā
• laṅkāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चयार्थ-भेदक (particle; adversative/emphatic)

• kṛtam: done; carried out
• kṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (done)

• karma: deed; act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाल (having seen)

• bhayāvaham: bringing fear; terrifying
• bhayāvaham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + āvaha (आवह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भयम् आवहति इति), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• rākṣasendraḥ: lord of the rākṣasas
• rākṣasendraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• hanumatā: by Hanumān
• hanumatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• śakreṇa: by Indra
• śakreṇa: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled one
• mahātmanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् आत्मा यस्य/महान् आत्मा), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to hanumatā/śakreṇa)

• abravīt: said; addressed
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• rākṣasān: the rākṣasas
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to rākṣasān)

• hriyā: with shame; out of modesty
• hriyā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hrī (ह्री प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract)

• kiñcit: a little
• kiñcit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiñcit (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (quantifier: a little)

• avāṅmukhaḥ: with face turned downward; downcast
• avāṅmukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avāṅ + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (अवाङ् मुखं यस्य), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (to rākṣasendraḥ)

Context

Considering the terrifying, dreadful action that was carried by the great soul Hanuman who was like Indra in might, the Lord of Rakshasas felt a bit shy and bending down his head addressed all Rakshasas.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa (rākṣasendra)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Adharma invites consequences that even the powerful cannot ignore. The appearance of shame signals an ethical recognition—however partial—that wrongful leadership decisions bring collective danger.

What is the narrative situation?

After Hanumān’s devastating exploits in Laṅkā, Rāvaṇa—affected and embarrassed—turns to address his rākṣasa assembly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s heroic efficacy (vīrya) is foregrounded; in Rāvaṇa, a fleeting self-awareness (hri) appears.