Shloka 3

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

यावन्नलङ्कांसमभिद्रवन्तिवलीमुखाःपर्वतकूटमात्राः ।दष्ट्रायुधाश्चैवनखायुधाश्चप्रदीयतांदाशरथायमैथिली ।।।।

Transliteration

yāvan na laṅkāṃ samabhidravanti valīmukhāḥ parvatakūṭamātrāḥ | daṣṭrāyudhāś caiva nakhāyudhāś ca pradīyatāṃ dāśarathāya maithilī ||

Translation

Ehe die Affenheere — groß wie Berggipfel, mit Fangzähnen und Klauen bewaffnet — auf Laṅkā zustürmen, werde Maithilī dem Rāma, dem Sohn Daśarathas, zurückgegeben.

Word by Word

• yāvat: until / as long as
• yāvat: अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध (temporal limit marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक: यावत्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; काल/परिमाणवाचक-सम्बन्धे (temporal/extent marker) — 'as long as / until'

• na: not
• na: क्रियानिषेध (negation of verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: कर्म (object/goal of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक: लङ्का)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; accusative; singular)

• samabhidravanti: they rush/charge towards
• samabhidravanti: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√dru (धातु: द्रु गतौ) + abhi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमानकाल); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (present; 3rd person; plural; parasmaipada); उपसर्गाः: सम् + अभि

• valīmukhāḥ: monkeys (Vānara troops)
• valīmukhāḥ: कर्ता (agent/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valī + mukha (प्रातिपदिके: वली + मुख) — समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masculine; nominative; plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वलीनां मुखं येषाम्/वलीमुखाः — conventional epithet for monkeys)

• parvatakūṭamātrāḥ: of the size of mountain-peaks
• parvatakūṭamātrāḥ: कर्ता-विशेषण (attribute of agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata + kūṭa + mātra (प्रातिपदिके: पर्वत + कूट + मात्र) — समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masculine; nominative; plural); षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (पर्वतकूटस्य मात्राः/प्रमाणं येषाम् — 'of the size of mountain-peaks'); विशेषणम् (qualifying valīmukhāḥ)

• daṣṭrāyudhāḥ: having teeth as weapons
• daṣṭrāyudhāḥ: कर्ता-विशेषण (attribute of agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daṣṭrā + āyudha (प्रातिपदिके: दंष्ट्रा + आयुध) — समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masculine; nominative; plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (दंष्ट्रा एव आयुधं येषाम् — 'having teeth as weapons'); विशेषणम् (qualifying valīmukhāḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction 'and')

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• nakhāyudhāḥ: having claws as weapons
• nakhāyudhāḥ: कर्ता-विशेषण (attribute of agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nakha + āyudha (प्रातिपदिके: नख + आयुध) — समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masculine; nominative; plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (नखाः एव आयुधं येषाम् — 'having claws as weapons'); विशेषणम् (qualifying valīmukhāḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction 'and')

• pradīyatām: let (her) be given / hand over
• pradīyatām: क्रिया (injunctive/passive main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु: दा दाने)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-समकक्ष); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (imperative; 3rd person; singular; ātmanepada); कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive/impersonal sense): 'let (her) be given/handed over'

• dāśarathāya: to Rama (son of Daśaratha)
• dāśarathāya: सम्प्रदान (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक: दाशरथि) / dāśaratha (प्रातिपदिक: दाशरथ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (masculine; dative; singular) — 'to the son of Daśaratha (Rāma)'

• maithilī: Maithili (Sita)
• maithilī: कर्म (patient in passive: the one to be given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक: मैथिली)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; nominative; singular); सीता-पर्यायः (epithet: princess of Mithilā)

Context

"I tell these good words embodying my opinion. Let the king's wife be given away for the good of the Rakshasas, their dear ones, for the capital and the king."

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Vānara (monkeys)
• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Sītā (Maithilī)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is corrective justice: undo the wrongful act (abduction and detention of Sītā) by returning her, thereby preventing wider harm.

What is the narrative situation?

In Rāvaṇa’s court, Vibhīṣaṇa urges immediate restitution—return Sītā—before the vānara forces reach Laṅkā and war becomes unavoidable.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s moral courage and truthful counsel (satya-vacana) even when it is unpopular in the royal assembly.