Shloka 13

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana and the Catalogue of Omens

Devanagari script

प्रसाद्यभ्रातरंजेष्ठंसान्त्वेनोपस्थितक्रमः ।देशकालार्थसंवादिदृष्टलोकपरावरः ।।।।

Transliteration

prasādya bhrātaraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ sāntvenopasthitakramaḥ | deśakālārthasaṃvādī dṛṣṭalokaparāvaraḥ ||

Translation

Nachdem er zuerst den älteren Bruder mit sanften Worten besänftigt und in gebührender Weise vorgetreten war, begann Vibhīṣaṇa—der das Gute und Böse der Welt kannte und Rat nach Ort, Zeit und Zweck zu geben wusste—ihn zu ermahnen.

Word by Word

• प्रसाद्य: having appeased
• प्रसाद्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): प्रसाद्य = having propitiated/pleased

• भ्रातरम्: brother
• भ्रातरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• ज्येष्ठम्: elder
• ज्येष्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् भ्रातरम् प्रति

• सान्त्वेन: with conciliation
• सान्त्वेन: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; साधनवाचक

• उपस्थित-क्रमः: one who observed proper procedure
• उपस्थित-क्रमः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उप+√स्था (धातु) क्त) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य क्रमः उपस्थितः सः

• देश-काल-अर्थ-संवादी: speaking appropriately to place, time, and purpose
• देश-काल-अर्थ-संवादी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देश + काल + अर्थ + संवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: देशकालार्थेषु संवादि (one who speaks suitably re place-time-purpose)

• दृष्ट-लोक-परावरः: one who knows the world’s good and bad
• दृष्ट-लोक-परावरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् क्त) + लोक + पर + अवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य लोकस्य परावरं दृष्टम् सः

Context

Vibheeshana who knew the good and bad of the world and knew to advice in consonance with place and time said to his elder brother in an appeasing manner, propitiating him observing the customary tradition.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma includes speaking truth effectively: counsel should be timely, context-sensitive, and delivered with restraint, so that truth can be heard and acted upon.

What is the narrative situation?

Before warning Rāvaṇa, Vibhīṣaṇa adopts a conciliatory tone and follows etiquette to make his advice acceptable in the royal setting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Diplomatic wisdom (nīti-jñāna): Vibhīṣaṇa combines worldly discernment with appropriate method of speech.