Shloka 25
लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च
Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation
रावणःप्रहसन्नेवशुकंवाक्यमुवाचह ।।।।किमिमौतेसितौपक्षौलूनपक्षश्चदृश्यसे ।कच्चिन्नानेकचित्तानांतेषांत्वंवशमागतः ।।।।
rāvaṇaḥ prahasann eva śukaṃ vākyam uvāca ha |
kim imau te sitau pakṣau lūnapakṣaś ca dṛśyase |
kaccin nānaikacittānāṃ teṣāṃ tvaṃ vaśam āgataḥ ||
Rāvaṇa lachte und sprach zu Śuka: „Warum sind deine weißen Flügel so gebunden? Du siehst aus, als wären dir die Flügel gestutzt. Bist du etwa in die Gewalt jener wankelmütigen Vānara geraten?“
Laughing at Suka, Ravana spoke these words. "Why are your wings fastened? Your wings have been clipped, it appears!. I suppose you have not fallen under the clutches of the fickle minded Vanaras!"
FAQs
The verse highlights adharma through ridicule and suspicion: a ruler who mocks and distrusts his own envoy weakens truthful counsel and just governance.
Śuka returns injured and frightened; Rāvaṇa reacts by laughing and questioning whether Śuka has been subdued or compromised.
Negatively, Rāvaṇa’s lack of rājanīti grounded in dharma—he uses scorn instead of attentive inquiry.