Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 8

युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च

Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel

Devanagari script

सर्वकृत्यानियुष्माभिस्समारब्धानिसर्वथा ।मन्त्रकर्मनियुक्तानिनजातुविफलानिमे ।।6.12.8।।

Transliteration

sarvakṛtyāni yuṣmābhiḥ samārabdhāni sarvathā | mantrakarmaniyuktāni na jātu viphalāni me ||6.12.8||

Translation

All my undertakings, in every case, are begun with your involvement—set in motion through counsel and deliberate planning; and, to my knowledge, they have never proved fruitless.

Word by Word

• सर्वकृत्यानि: all undertakings
• सर्वकृत्यानि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व+कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ('सर्वाणि कृत्यानि')

• युष्माभिः: by you (all)
• युष्माभिः: करण (Karana/Instrument-Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• समारब्धानि: undertaken, begun
• समारब्धानि: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—'सर्वकृत्यानि'

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: प्रकार-अधिकरण (Manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय (in every way/always)

• मन्त्रकर्मनियुक्तानि: directed by counsel and action
• मन्त्रकर्मनियुक्तानि: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र+कर्म+नि+युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—'सर्वकृत्यानि'; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष ('मन्त्रेण कर्मणा च नियुक्तानि'—planned/assigned by counsel and action)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जातु: ever
• जातु: काल-अधिकरण (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (ever/at any time)

• विफलानि: fruitless, futile
• विफलानि: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—'सर्वकृत्यानि'

• मे: my
• मे: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (enclitic)

Context

"The actions carried out by me are always after it is well thought out and decided by all of you. I know that those actions have not failed."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• ministers
• mantra (counsel)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma emphasizes acting after counsel (mantra) rather than impulse; decisions should be reasoned and collectively vetted.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa reassures his council that his actions proceed from deliberation with them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deliberation and procedural prudence (though the epic later critiques misapplied confidence when dharma is violated).