Shloka 11
शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp
किंनुमृत्योर्भयंनास्तिवक्तुंमांपरुषंवचः ।यस्यमेशासतोजिह्वाप्रयच्छतिशुभाशुभम् ।।।।
kiṃ nu mṛtyor bhayaṃ nāsti vaktuṃ māṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ |
yasya me śāsato jihvā prayacchati śubhāśubham ||6.29.11||
Habt ihr denn keine Furcht vor dem Tod, dass ihr zu mir harte Worte sprecht—zu mir, auf dessen Befehl eure eigene Zunge Gutes oder Böses hervorbringen kann?
"Did you not have fear of death when you spoke such harsh words to me, who can by mere order make good or evil to you?"
FAQs
Dharma restrains authority: using power to terrorize truthful speakers is unrighteous and corrodes just rule.
Rāvaṇa interprets the messengers’ report as insolence and threatens them with punishment.
Implicitly, the courage of speaking truth to power; explicitly, Rāvaṇa displays intimidation rather than principled leadership.