Shloka 25

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana and the Catalogue of Omens

Devanagari script

श्रावणेचास्यमन्त्रस्यनिवृत्तास्सर्वमन्त्रिणः ।अवश्यंचमयावाच्यंयद्दृष्टमपिवाश्रुतम् ।।।।सम्विधाययथान्यायंतद्भवान् कर्तुमर्हति ।

Transliteration

śrāvaṇe cāsya mantrasya nivṛttāḥ sarvamantriṇaḥ |

avaśyaṁ ca mayā vācyaṁ yad dṛṣṭam api vā śrutam ||

samvidhāya yathānyāyaṁ tad bhavān kartum arhati |

Translation

Beim Hören dieses Rates haben sich alle Minister zurückgehalten, ihn dir zu melden. Doch ich muss aussprechen, was gesehen oder gehört wurde. Nachdem du nach Recht und Billigkeit erwogen hast, handle entsprechend.

Word by Word

• श्रावणे: in (the act of) hearing/announcement
• श्रावणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; purpose-context ‘in the matter of making (you) hear’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘of this’ qualifying मन्त्रस्य

• मन्त्रस्य: of the counsel/consultation
• मन्त्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘of counsel/consultation’

• निवृत्ताः: withdrew/abstained
• निवृत्ताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vṛt (धातु) + nivṛtta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; predicate with सर्वमन्त्रिणः ‘having withdrawn/abstained’

• सर्वमन्त्रिणः: all ministers
• सर्वमन्त्रिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘all (the) ministers’

• अवश्यम्: necessarily
• अवश्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśyam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; necessity adverb

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• वाच्यम्: must be spoken
• वाच्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) + vācya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (ण्यत्/तव्यत् sense), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be spoken’ (impersonal obligation)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to (दृष्टम्/श्रुतम्)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘seen’

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; additive/concessive particle

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; alternative particle

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + śruta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘heard’

• सम्विधाय: having determined/arranged
• सम्विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-vi-dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having arranged/decided’

• यथा: according as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; comparative/according-to particle

• न्यायम्: propriety/justice
• न्यायम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; adverbial accusative ‘according to justice/propriety’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘that (act/decision)’

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; honorific 2nd-person pronoun

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• अर्हति: ought/is proper
• अर्हति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘is fit/ought’

Context

Brother Vibheeshana thus tendered advice to Ravana, the eminent king of Rakshasas in the presence of his ministers.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Satya as duty: when others remain silent, speaking truth for the ruler’s welfare becomes a dharmic obligation; the king must then act by justice (nyāya).

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa explains that ministers are withholding honest counsel, so he himself reports what is known and urges just action.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity—prioritizing truth and the common good over personal safety.