Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 16
युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च
Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel
हुताग्निरर्चिस्सङ्काशामेनांसौरीमिवप्रभाम् ।उन्नसंविमलंवल्गुविपुलांचारुलोचनम् ।।6.12.16।।पश्यंस्तदवशस्तस्याःकामस्यवशमेयिवान् ।
hutāgnirarcissaṅkāśām enāṃ saurīm iva prabhām |
unnasaṃ vimalaṃ valgu vipulāṃ cārulocanam ||6.12.16||
paśyaṃs tad avaśas tasyāḥ kāmasya vaśam eyivān |
Beholding her—radiant like the flame of the sacrificial fire, like the sun’s own splendor—her nose uplifted, her face pure and charming, broad, with beautiful eyes, I, helpless, have fallen under the dominion of desire.
"I have been disturbed by passion, which is equal in anger or happiness and makes one pale in grief or agony."
FAQs
A dharmic life requires inner sovereignty; surrendering agency to kāma is portrayed as moral decline, since it leads to violation of truth and righteousness.
Rāvaṇa describes Sītā’s radiance and admits that his will has become captive to desire, foreshadowing further unethical decisions.
The contrasted virtue is self-command (ātma-vaśyatā); the verse dramatizes its collapse under obsession.
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