Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 93, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

ममनामत्वयावीरगतस्ययमसादनम् ।।।।प्रेतकार्याणिकार्याणिविपरीतेहिवर्तसे ।

Transliteration

mama nāma tvayā vīra gatasya yamasādanam | pretakāryāṇi kāryāṇi viparīte hi vartase ||

Translation

اے بہادر! جب میں یم کے دھام کو جاتا تو میرے لیے پریت کرم اور انتیم سنسکار تمہیں کرنے تھے؛ مگر الٹا ہوا—اب مجھے ہی تمہارے لیے وہ کرم کرنے پڑ رہے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• nāma: indeed
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = 'indeed/forsooth' (emphasis)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• vīra: O hero
• vīra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• gatasya: of (me) gone
• gatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (धातु) > gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण of implied 'me' (of me who has gone)

• yamasādanam: the abode of Yama
• yamasādanam: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied 'to be done')
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama + sādana (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yamasya sādanaṃ = abode of Yama); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pretakāryāṇi: funeral rites
• pretakāryāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta + kārya (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pretasya kāryāṇi = rites for the dead); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• kāryāṇi: duties to be done
• kāryāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति-बल (emphatic repetition)

• viparīte: in reverse/contrary manner
• viparīte: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viparīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (in a contrary way)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = 'indeed/for'

• vartase: you behave/act
• vartase: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

'O hero! My obsequies should have been done by you. It is peculiar that I have to perform'.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (Meghanāda)
• Yama

FAQs

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

Dharma includes honoring the dead through prescribed rites; the verse underscores the social-ritual order even amid grief.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa expresses the unnatural reversal of generations: the father must now perform the son’s last rites.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Recognition of ritual responsibility (even by an adhārmic ruler), showing how dharma persists as a cultural imperative.