Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 15

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

सचनप्रतिजग्राहरावणःकालचोदितः ।उच्यमानंहितंवाक्यंविपरीतइवौषधम् ।।6.17.15।।

Transliteration

sa ca na pratijagrāha rāvaṇaḥ kālacoditaḥ |

ucyamānaṃ hitaṃ vākyaṃ viparīta ivauṣadham ||6.17.15||

Translation

Driven onward by the summons of death, Rāvaṇa would not accept the wholesome counsel being offered to him—just as a doomed man rejects medicine that could cure him.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• प्रतिजग्राह: accepted/took
• प्रतिजग्राह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्रति-

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अपपद-सम्बन्धे कर्तृसमनाधिकरण

• काल-चोदितः: impelled by fate/time
• काल-चोदितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + चोदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कालेन चोदितः = impelled by time/fate); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (रावणः)

• उच्यमानम्: being spoken
• उच्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वाक्यम्)

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: speech/advice
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विपरीतः: contrary/averse
• विपरीतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमेय-विशेषण (रावणः)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-निपात (like/as)

• औषधम्: medicine
• औषधम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

Context

Vibheeshana, having addressed Ravana in harsh language, reached Rama and Lakshmana in a short while.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kāla (Death/Time)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes humility and receptivity to wise, truthful counsel; rejecting beneficial advice out of pride or delusion is portrayed as a symptom of moral and spiritual decline.

What is the narrative situation?

After counsel is offered to restrain him from wrongdoing, Rāvaṇa refuses to accept it; the narrator frames this refusal as a sign that his end is approaching.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is teachability—accepting truth and corrective guidance; its absence in Rāvaṇa highlights his obstinacy and adharma.