Shloka 16
युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च
Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel
हुताग्निरर्चिस्सङ्काशामेनांसौरीमिवप्रभाम् ।उन्नसंविमलंवल्गुविपुलांचारुलोचनम् ।।6.12.16।।पश्यंस्तदवशस्तस्याःकामस्यवशमेयिवान् ।
hutāgnirarcissaṅkāśām enāṃ saurīm iva prabhām |
unnasaṃ vimalaṃ valgu vipulāṃ cārulocanam ||6.12.16||
paśyaṃs tad avaśas tasyāḥ kāmasya vaśam eyivān |
Als ich sie erblickte—strahlend wie die Flamme des Opferfeuers, wie der eigene Glanz der Sonne—mit leicht erhobener Nase, mit reinem und anmutigem Antlitz, weit und von schönen Augen, bin ich, hilflos, unter die Herrschaft des Begehrens geraten.
"I have been disturbed by passion, which is equal in anger or happiness and makes one pale in grief or agony."
FAQs
A dharmic life requires inner sovereignty; surrendering agency to kāma is portrayed as moral decline, since it leads to violation of truth and righteousness.
Rāvaṇa describes Sītā’s radiance and admits that his will has become captive to desire, foreshadowing further unethical decisions.
The contrasted virtue is self-command (ātma-vaśyatā); the verse dramatizes its collapse under obsession.