Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 10, Shloka 7

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana and the Catalogue of Omens

Devanagari script

तंमहाभ्रमिवाऽदित्यस्तेजोविस्तृतरश्मिमान् ।अग्रजस्यालयंवीरःप्रविवेशमहाद्युतिः ।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ mahābhram ivādityas tejo-vistṛta-raśmimān | agrajasya ālayaṃ vīraḥ praviveśa mahādyutiḥ ||

Translation

ثم إنّ البطل فيبيṣaṇa—متلألئًا كآديتيا، الشمس ذات الأشعة المترامية—دخل مسكن أخيه الأكبر.

Word by Word

• tam: that (abode)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahā-bhram: a great cloud
• mahā-bhram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + bhra (प्रातिपदिक; ‘cloud’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• ādityaḥ: the Sun
• ādityaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āditya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• tejo-vistṛta-raśmimān: whose rays are widely spread with brilliance
• tejo-vistṛta-raśmimān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tejas + vistṛta (कृदन्त; √stṛ स्तृ/√tan तन्? here ‘vistṛta’ from √stṛ/√tan in sense ‘spread’) + raśmimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose rays are spread (by) brilliance’ qualifying ādityaḥ

• agrajasya: of the elder brother
• agrajasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ālayam: abode
• ālayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vīraḥ: the hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बोधनार्थक-विशेष्य (appositional subject)

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु; विश्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mahā-dyutiḥ: the greatly radiant one
• mahā-dyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थक-नाम (epithet)

Context

Heroic (Vibheeshana) of exceptional splendour, whose brilliance spread widely like the radiance of the highly lustrous Sun entered his brother's abode.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa (as elder brother, implied by agraja)

FAQs

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

Approaching even an erring kinsman with clarity and purpose: dharma includes the duty to attempt righteous counsel before resorting to conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa arrives and enters Rāvaṇa’s residence, poised to advise him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage and steadfastness—Vibhīṣaṇa’s ‘radiance’ signals inner rectitude and readiness to speak truth.