Shloka 15

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

सचनप्रतिजग्राहरावणःकालचोदितः ।उच्यमानंहितंवाक्यंविपरीतइवौषधम् ।।6.17.15।।

Transliteration

sa ca na pratijagrāha rāvaṇaḥ kālacoditaḥ |

ucyamānaṃ hitaṃ vākyaṃ viparīta ivauṣadham ||6.17.15||

Translation

Doch Rāvaṇa, vom Ruf des Todes getrieben, nahm das heilsame Wort des Rates nicht an, wie ein dem Untergang Geweihter die Arznei zurückweist, die ihn heilen könnte.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• प्रतिजग्राह: accepted/took
• प्रतिजग्राह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्रति-

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अपपद-सम्बन्धे कर्तृसमनाधिकरण

• काल-चोदितः: impelled by fate/time
• काल-चोदितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + चोदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कालेन चोदितः = impelled by time/fate); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (रावणः)

• उच्यमानम्: being spoken
• उच्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वाक्यम्)

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: speech/advice
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विपरीतः: contrary/averse
• विपरीतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमेय-विशेषण (रावणः)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-निपात (like/as)

• औषधम्: medicine
• औषधम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

Context

Vibheeshana, having addressed Ravana in harsh language, reached Rama and Lakshmana in a short while.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kāla (Death/Time)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes humility and receptivity to wise, truthful counsel; rejecting beneficial advice out of pride or delusion is portrayed as a symptom of moral and spiritual decline.

What is the narrative situation?

After counsel is offered to restrain him from wrongdoing, Rāvaṇa refuses to accept it; the narrator frames this refusal as a sign that his end is approaching.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is teachability—accepting truth and corrective guidance; its absence in Rāvaṇa highlights his obstinacy and adharma.