Shloka 19
रावण-सारथि-संवादः
Ravana and the Charioteer: Counsel, Omens, and Battlefield Conduct
स्थलनिम्नानिभूमेश्चसमानिविषमाणि च ।युद्धकालश्चविज्ञेयःपरस्यान्तरदर्शनम् ।।।।
sthala-nimnāni bhūmeś ca samāni viṣamāṇi ca |
yuddha-kālaś ca vijñeyaḥ parasya antaradarśanam ||
Man soll das Gelände kennen—seine Höhen und Senken, seine ebenen und unebenen Strecken—die rechte Zeit zum Kampf und auch die innere Verwundbarkeit des Feindes erkennen.
"The earths' ups and downs, evenness and ruggedness, difficult locations, the right time and place for war should be known in advance and the inner weakness of the enemy also to be known."
FAQs
Dharma-guided action values foresight: decisions should be grounded in knowledge of conditions and realistic appraisal, not arrogance or denial.
Rāvaṇa outlines what a combat leader must understand—terrain, timing, and the opponent’s weaknesses—within the ongoing war.
Strategic intelligence (buddhi) and careful observation—skills that become ethically meaningful when aligned with righteous aims.