Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 18
माल्यवानुपदेशः
Malyavan’s Counsel, Portents in Laṅkā, and the Proposal of Alliance
तेषांप्रभावोदुर्धर्षःप्रदीप्तइवपावकः ।।।।तपसाभावितात्मानोधर्मस्यानुग्रहेरताः ।मुख्यर्यज्ञैर्यजन्त्येतेनित्यंतैस्सैर्द्विजातयः ।।।।जुह्वत्यनगींश्चविधिवद्वेदांश्चोच्चैरधीयते ।अभिभूयचरक्षांसिब्रह्मघोषानुदैरयन् ।।।।दिशोऽपिविद्रुतास्सर्वेस्तनयित्नुरिवोष्णगे ।
teṣāṁ prabhāvo durdharṣaḥ pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ | tapasā bhāvitātmāno dharmasyānugrahe ratāḥ | mukhyair yajñair yajanty ete nityaṁ tais tais dvijātayaḥ | juhvati anagnīṁś ca vidhivad vedāṁś coccair adhīyate | abhibhūya ca rakṣāṁsi brahma-ghoṣān udairayan | diśo 'pi vidrutāḥ sarve stanayitnur ivoṣṇage |
Ihre geistige Macht ist schwer zu bezwingen, lodernd wie ein entfachtes Feuer. Durch Askese geläutert und dem Schutz des Dharma ergeben, vollziehen diese Zweimalgeborenen unablässig die vornehmsten Yajñas, bringen die Opfergaben ordnungsgemäß dar und rezitieren die Veden mit lauter Stimme. Nachdem sie die Rākṣasas niedergerungen haben, lassen sie den Klang heiliger Formeln erschallen; und die Rākṣasas fliehen nach allen Seiten, wie Wolken, die in der Sommerhitze zerstreut werden.
"Their power is difficult to overcome as they are pure souls and blazing like fire by their austerity. They follow virtues faithfully intending to acquire merit like brahmanas. They are standing firmly curbing their senses doing sacrifices offering oblations into sacrificial fires following tradition. Having subdued the Rakshasas, they are continuing to recite Vedas and on hearing Vedas the Rakshasas are running away in different directions like the rain cloud is scattered in the hot season."
FAQs
Dharma is upheld through tapas, yajña, and Vedic discipline; spiritual integrity creates a protective moral force that drives away adharma (here symbolized by rākṣasas).
The speaker explains why seers and brahmins are formidable: their regulated rites and Vedic recitation generate power that defeats and disperses rākṣasas.
Śraddhā and niyama (faith and disciplined practice)—the steadfast, rule-governed life that sustains dharma and repels violence.