Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 38

माल्यवानुपदेशः

Malyavan’s Counsel, Portents in Laṅkā, and the Proposal of Alliance

Devanagari script

इदंवचस्तत्रनिशम्यमाल्यवान्परीक्ष्यरक्षोधिपतेर्मनःपुनः ।अनुत्तमेषूत्तमपौरुषोबलीबभूवतूष्णींसमवेक्ष्यरावणम् ।।।।

Transliteration

idaṃ vacas tatra niśamya mālyavān parīkṣya rakṣodhipater manaḥ punaḥ |

anuttameṣūttamapauruṣo balī babhūva tūṣṇīṃ samavekṣya rāvaṇam ||

Translation

এইদৰে কথা কৈ, মহাবলী মাল্যৱান—উত্তমসকলৰ মাজত উত্তম পৰামৰ্শদাতা—পুনৰ ৰাক্ষসাধিপতিৰ মন পৰীক্ষা কৰিলে; ৰাৱণক চাই সি নীৰৱ হৈ ৰ’ল।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (वाक्यम्) इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• माल्यवतः: of Malyavan
• माल्यवतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वाक्यम्)

• उक्तम्: spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (वाक्यम्) ‘spoken’

• दशाननः: the ten-faced (Ravana)
• दशाननः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दश आननानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मर्षयति: tolerates/endures
• मर्षयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुष्टात्मा: evil-minded one
• दुष्टात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (दशाननस्य विशेषणम्)

• कालस्य: of time/death
• कालस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वशम्: sway/control
• वशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आगतः: having come under
• आगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (दशाननः) ‘having come/come under’

Context

"When a king is losing strength, he should join hand s with the enemy who is equal to him. He should not disrespect the enemy but quit his hostility and join him (if the enemy is more powerful)."

Characters & Entities

• Mālyavān
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Even the best counsel has limits when a ruler’s mind is captured by adharma; dharma also includes recognizing when advice is being rejected and avoiding futile escalation.

What is the narrative situation?

After advising peace, Mālyavān observes that Rāvaṇa is inwardly unreceptive; realizing this, he stops speaking.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment and restraint in speech—knowing when silence is wiser than further argument.