Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 29
लङ्कादर्शनं तथा रात्रौ सूक्ष्मरूपेण प्रवेशोपायचिन्तनम्
Vision of Lanka and Strategy for Nocturnal Entry
अवकाशो नसान्त्वस्य राक्षसेष्वभिगम्यते।न दानस्य न भेदस्य नैव युद्धस्य दृश्यते।।।।
avakāśo na sāntvasya rākṣaseṣv abhigamyate | na dānasya na bhedasya naiva yuddhasya dṛśyate ||
Unter den Rākṣasas zeigt sich kein Spielraum für Beschwichtigung; weder sie durch Gaben zu gewinnen, noch sie durch Zwietracht zu spalten; und selbst der Krieg lässt keinen klaren Weg erkennen.
'There is no scope for reconciliation with the demons. It is not possible to win over them with gifts. They cannot be divided by dissension. There is no scope for war.
FAQs
Dharma uses appropriate upāyas (means): when standard approaches (conciliation, gifts, division, force) fail, one must seek a subtler, less destructive method aligned with righteousness.
Hanuman evaluates classical political strategies (sāma, dāna, bheda, daṇḍa) and finds none readily workable against the rākṣasas in Lanka.
Strategic intelligence (nīti) guided by restraint—he searches for a path that serves Sita’s recovery and Rama’s dharmic mission.