Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 112, Shloka 16

रावणवधोत्तरं विभीषणशोकः—क्षत्रधर्मोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Lament after Ravana’s Fall; Instruction on Kshatriya-Dharma

Devanagari script

नैवंविनष्टाःशोच्यन्तेक्षत्रधर्मव्यवस्थिताः ।वृधदिमाशंसमानायेनिपतन्तिरणाजिरे ।।।।

Transliteration

naivaṃ vinaṣṭāḥ śocyante kṣatradharmavyavasthitāḥ |

vṛddhim āśaṃsamānā ye nipatanti raṇājire ||

Translation

Những bậc kiên trụ trong bổn phận Kṣatriya, ngã xuống giữa chiến địa—mong cầu sự thăng tiến danh dự—chẳng nên bị than khóc như kẻ “tiêu vong” theo cách ấy.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Vākya-niṣedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta

• evam: thus, in this way
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• vinaṣṭāḥ: those who have perished
• vinaṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of śocyante
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaṣṭa (कृदन्त, √naś with vi-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• śocyante: are mourned
• śocyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa Bahuvacana; ātmanepada; passive sense "are to be mourned/are mourned"

• kṣatra-dharma-vyavasthitāḥ: steadfast in the warrior code
• kṣatra-dharma-vyavasthitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of (ye)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vyavasthita (कृदन्त, √sthā with vi-ava)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; तत्पुरुषः—"क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थिताः" (steadfast in kshatriya-duty)

• vṛddhim: advancement, increase
• vṛddhim: Karma (कर्म) of āśaṃsamānāḥ
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• āśaṃsamānāḥ: hoping for
• āśaṃsamānāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ye
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśaṃsamāna (कृदन्त, √śaṃs with ā-; śānac/शानच्)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Śānac (शानच्) present middle participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; "hoping/desiring"

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता) of nipatanti
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; relative pronoun

• nipatanti: fall (in battle)
• nipatanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु) with ni-
• Form: Laṭ, Prathama-puruṣa Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• raṇa-ajire: on the battlefield
• raṇa-ajire: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः—"रणस्य अजिरे"

Context

"Those kings who follow duty steadfast, desiring advancement, fearless in the battlefield, who die in that way should not be mourned."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Battlefield (raṇājira)

FAQs

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

Kṣatriya-dharma teaches that death faced in rightful battle, with courage and purpose, is not disgrace but a duty-fulfilled end—grief should be moderated by this truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma instructs Vibhīṣaṇa not to grieve excessively, presenting a dharmic view of a warrior’s death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in duty—holding one’s role and obligations even amid fear, loss, and personal emotion.