Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 9
विभीषणागमनम्
Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge
शीघ्रंव्यादिशनोराजन्वधायैषांदुरात्मनाम् ।निपतन्तुहताश्चैतेधरण्यामल्पतेजसः ।।6.17.9।।
śīghraṃ vyādiśa no rājan vadhāya eṣāṃ durātmanām | nipatantu hatāś caite dharaṇyām alpa-tejasaḥ ||
O King, command us swiftly to slay these evil-minded ones; once struck down, these men of paltry power will fall dead upon the earth.
"O King! Order us to kill these evil minded ones at once. Being mortals and of short life, on striking, all of them will fall down dead on the ground."
FAQs
The verse illustrates a dharmic tension: impulsive violence and contempt for the opponent are ethically suspect, showing how adharma can appear as confident but reckless counsel in wartime.
In Rāvaṇa’s camp/court, a speaker urges the king to give immediate orders to kill the opponents, dismissing them as weak and easily slain.
Not virtue but a cautionary trait—arrogance and rashness—highlighting how pride can distort judgment and lead to unethical decisions.
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