Shloka 16

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

अहितं च हिताकारंधार्ष्ट्याज्जल्पन्तियेनराः ।अवेक्ष्यमन्त्रबाह्यास्तेकर्तव्याःकृत्यदूषणा:।। 6.63.16।।

Transliteration

ahitaṁ ca hitākāraṁ dhārṣṭyāj jalpanti ye narāḥ |

avekṣya mantrabāhyās te kartavyāḥ kṛtyadūṣaṇāḥ || 6.63.16 ||

Translation

Jene Männer, die in Dreistigkeit Schädliches als Heilsames ausgeben und daherreden—nach reiflicher Prüfung—sind vom Rat fernzuhalten; denn sie verderben das Vorhaben.

Word by Word

• ahitam: what is harmful
• ahitam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of jalpanti

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• hitākāram: in the guise of good
• hitākāram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially/predicatively: 'with the appearance of good'; तत्पुरुष: हितस्य आकारः

• dhārṣṭyāt: from audacity
• dhārṣṭyāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārṣṭya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; ablative of cause

• jalpanti: prattle/speak
• jalpanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jalp (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (relative pronoun)

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; in apposition to ye

• avekṣya: having examined
• avekṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ava-√īkṣ (धातु: √īkṣ; उपसर्ग: ava)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्): 'having considered/examined'

• mantra-bāhyāḥ: kept outside the council
• mantra-bāhyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of te)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra + bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष: मन्त्रात् बाह्याः (excluded from counsel)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kartavyāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• kartavyāḥ: must be made/treated (thus)
• kartavyāḥ: Vidhi (विधि/Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; obligation: 'should be made/done'

• kṛtya-dūṣaṇāḥ: those who spoil the undertaking
• kṛtya-dūṣaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of te)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtya + dūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; बहुव्रीहि: कृत्यं दूषयन्ति ये

Context

"Those who tender advice, which is unwholesome but in wholesome grab, out of their impudence should be kept away from discussion examining early as they mar the purpose."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• mantra (council)

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma in counsel demand truthfulness: harmful proposals disguised as ‘good’ are adharma and must be excluded after careful evaluation.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa advises screening advisers and removing those whose deceptive speech undermines sound decision-making.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity in counsel—prioritizing truth and welfare over persuasive but harmful talk.