Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 11

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

वधस्तुरामस्यमयात्वयाचप्रहस्तसर्वैरपिराक्षसैर्वा ।कथंभवेदर्थविशारदस्यमहार्णवंतर्तुमिवाप्लवस्य ।।।।

Transliteration

vadhas tu rāmasya mayā tvayā ca prahasta sarvair api rākṣasair vā |

kathaṃ bhaved artha-viśāradasya mahārṇavaṃ tartum ivāplavasya ||

Translation

يا براهاستا، كيف يكون قتل راما ممكنًا—بي أو بك أو حتى بجميع الراكساسا—وهو بصيرٌ بكل الأمور؟ إنما هو كمن لا يحسن السباحة يريد عبور المحيط العظيم.

Word by Word

• vadhaḥ: killing
• vadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (of bhavet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tu: however / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/Viśeṣa-nipāta (particle: 'but/indeed')

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive: of whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument, agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Madhyama-puruṣa, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• prahasta: O Prahastha
• prahasta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana (Plural); agrees with rākṣasaiḥ

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Sambhāvanā/Samuccaya-nipāta (particle: 'even/also')

• rākṣasaiḥ: by Rakshasas
• rākṣasaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (disjunctive: 'or')

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (interrogative adverb: 'how')

• bhavet: could be / would be possible
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (Optative/Potential), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• arthaviśāradasya: of the one skilled in all matters
• arthaviśāradasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'skilled in matters' (artha-viśārada) qualifying rāmasya (genitive)

• mahārṇavam: the great ocean
• mahārṇavam: Karma (कर्म/Object) (of tartum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'great ocean'

• tartum: to cross
• tartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṝ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (Infinitive/तुमुन्), 'to cross'

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-nipāta (particle of comparison: 'like')

• aplavasya: of a non-swimmer
• aplavasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive in simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-plava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; nañ-tatpuruṣa sense: 'without ability to swim/float' (genitive in simile: 'of a non-swimmer')

Context

"Prahastha! How can you or me or all Rakshasas kill Rama who is knowledgeable of everything, just as one who is not swimming can cross the great ocean."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Prahastha
• Rākṣasas
• Mahārṇava (great ocean)

FAQs

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

Dharma is linked with clear-sighted truth: Vibhīṣaṇa urges realism grounded in moral order—opposing a righteous protector like Rāma is both ethically wrong and strategically ruinous.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa warns Prahastha and the court that fantasies of killing Rāma are impossible, using a vivid simile of an unskilled person attempting to cross an ocean.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Wisdom (prajñā) and integrity: Vibhīṣaṇa combines ethical judgment with practical assessment, modeling dharmic counsel.