Shloka 12

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

अधर्ममूलं बहुदोषयुक्तमनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य।उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः।।।।

Transliteration

adharmamūlaṁ bahudoṣayuktam anāryajuṣṭaṁ vacanaṁ niśamya |

uvāca vākyaṁ paramārthatattvaṁ vibhīṣaṇo buddhimatāṁ variṣṭhaḥ ||

Translation

Als Vibhīṣaṇa, der Vornehmste unter den Weisen, jene Worte vernahm—im Adharma wurzelnd, von vielen Fehlern befleckt und der Edlen unwürdig—sprach er gemäß der höchsten Wahrheit der Sache.

Word by Word

• अधर्ममूलम्: rooted in unrighteousness
• अधर्ममूलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म-मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• बहुदोषयुक्तम्: full of many faults
• बहुदोषयुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु-दोष-युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• अनार्यजुष्टम्: approved by ignoble people
• अनार्यजुष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्य-जुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having heard/listened’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमार्थतत्त्वम्: the essence of highest truth
• परमार्थतत्त्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-अर्थ-तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vākyaṃ)

• विभीषणः: Vibhishana
• विभीषणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बुद्धिमताम्: of the wise
• बुद्धिमताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of the wise’ (genitive plural)

• वरिष्ठः: foremost
• वरिष्ठः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vibhīṣaṇaḥ)

Context

On hearing his brother's harsh words spoken in tremendous anger, which were not acceptable to noble souls, wise Vibhishana again spoke these words of supreme truth:

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa (implied as source of the adharmic words)

FAQs

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

Speaking truth grounded in dharma even when it is unwelcome: Vibhīṣaṇa embodies satya as principled counsel against adharmic policy.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa’s angry justification, Vibhīṣaṇa prepares to answer with a reasoned, dharma-rooted argument.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage and wisdom: the ability to oppose wrongful speech with clear ethical reasoning.