Shloka 25

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

पितामहनियोगाच्चमुक्तःशम्बरवृत्रहा ।गतस्त्रिविष्टपम्राजन्सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः ।।।।

Transliteration

pitāmaha-niyogāc ca muktaḥ śambara-vṛtrahā |

gatas triviṣṭapaṃ rājan sarva-deva-namaskṛtaḥ ||6.7.25||

Translation

Durch die Anordnung Pitāmahas (Brahmā) befreit, kehrte Indra —Bezwinger von Śambara und Vṛtra— nach Triviṣṭapa (dem Himmel) zurück, von allen Göttern verehrt, o König.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle: if)

• upasarpetām: should approach/attack
• upasarpetām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛp (सृप् धातु) + upa
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual), परस्मैपद

• anayam: misfortune; distress
• anayam: Karma (कर्म; object of upasarpetām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (misfortune/distress)

• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• avaśyam: certainly
• avaśyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśyam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (certainly/inevitably)

• apanītena: by a stratagem; by deceitful means
• apanītena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apa + nīta (नी धातु + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as instrumental of abstract/means), तृतीया, एकवचन; साधनवाचक (by stratagem/means)

• jahatām: would abandon
• jahatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (हा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual), परस्मैपद; here sense: 'would give up'

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic: indeed/only)

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karma (कर्म; object of jahatām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"Liberated by the command of creator Brahma, Indra the destroyer of Sambara and Vrtra entered heaven was adorned and greeted by all Devas."

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Indra
• Śambara
• Vṛtra
• Triviṣṭapa (Svarga)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as cosmic governance: even Indra’s release occurs through Brahmā’s ordinance, implying that legitimate authority and order (ṛta/dharma) ultimately prevail over coercion.

What is the narrative situation?

The counselors complete the anecdote: Indra was eventually freed by Brahmā’s command and returned to heaven—yet they present the episode mainly to exalt Rāvaṇa’s former dominance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse indirectly emphasizes reverence for higher order (Brahmā’s niyoga), contrasting with Rāvaṇa’s tendency to disregard restraint.