Shloka 21
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
क्रियतामविरोधश्चराघवेणेतियन्मया ।उच्यमानं न गृह्णासितस्येयंव्युष्टिरागता ।।।।
kriyatām avirodhaś ca rāghaveṇeti yan mayā | ucyamānaṃ na gṛhṇāsi tasye yaṃ vyuṣṭir āgatā ||
«Ich mahnte dich: “Handle nicht in Feindschaft gegen Rāghava.” Du nahmst meinen Rat nicht an; daraus ist dieses Unheil erwachsen.»
"You were advised by me not to have any hostile action with Rama. You had not listened to me. This is the result of that action."
FAQs
Dharma values listening to truthful counsel; rejecting wise advice and choosing hostility against righteousness leads to inevitable consequences.
After Rāvaṇa’s death, Mandodarī interprets the disaster as the direct result of his refusal to abandon enmity with Rāma.
The virtue of good counsel (nīti) and receptivity to truth—shown by Mandodarī’s attempt to restrain wrongdoing.