Shloka 25
लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च
Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation
रावणःप्रहसन्नेवशुकंवाक्यमुवाचह ।।।।किमिमौतेसितौपक्षौलूनपक्षश्चदृश्यसे ।कच्चिन्नानेकचित्तानांतेषांत्वंवशमागतः ।।।।
rāvaṇaḥ prahasann eva śukaṃ vākyam uvāca ha |
kim imau te sitau pakṣau lūnapakṣaś ca dṛśyase |
kaccin nānaikacittānāṃ teṣāṃ tvaṃ vaśam āgataḥ ||
রাবণ হেসে শুককে বলল—“তোমার এই দুই সাদা ডানা কেন এমন বাঁধা? তুমি তো কাটা-ডানার মতো দেখাচ্ছ। নিশ্চয়ই তুমি কি সেই চঞ্চলচিত্ত বানরদের বশে পড়োনি?”
Laughing at Suka, Ravana spoke these words. "Why are your wings fastened? Your wings have been clipped, it appears!. I suppose you have not fallen under the clutches of the fickle minded Vanaras!"
FAQs
The verse highlights adharma through ridicule and suspicion: a ruler who mocks and distrusts his own envoy weakens truthful counsel and just governance.
Śuka returns injured and frightened; Rāvaṇa reacts by laughing and questioning whether Śuka has been subdued or compromised.
Negatively, Rāvaṇa’s lack of rājanīti grounded in dharma—he uses scorn instead of attentive inquiry.