Shloka 1
विभीषणोपदेशः
Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana
ततोनिकुम्भोरभसस्सूर्यशत्रुर्महाबलः ।सुप्तघ्नोयज्ञहारक्षोमहापार्श्वमहोदरौ ।।।।अग्निकेतुश्चदुर्धर्षोरश्मिकेतुश्चराक्षस: ।इन्द्रजिच्चमहातेजाबलवान्रावणात्मजः ।।।।प्रहस्तोऽथविरूपाक्षोवज्रदंष्ट्रोमहाबलः ।धूम्राक्षश्चातिकायश्चदुर्मुखश्चैवराक्षसः ।।।।परिघान्पट्टिशान्प्रासान्शक्तिशूलपरश्वधान् ।चापानिचसबाणानिखङ्गांश्चविपुलान्शितान् ।।।।प्रगृह्यपरमक्रुद्धास्समुत्पत्यचराक्षसाः ।अब्रुवन्रावणंसर्वेप्रदीप्ताइवतेजसा ।।।।
tato nikumbho rabhasas sūryaśatrur mahābalaḥ | suptaghno yajñahā rakṣo mahāpārśva-mahodarau ||
agniketuś ca durdharṣo raśmiketuś ca rākṣasaḥ | indrajic ca mahātejā balavān rāvaṇātmajaḥ ||
prahasto ’tha virūpākṣo vajradaṃṣṭro mahābalaḥ | dhūmrākṣaś cātikāyaś ca durmukhaś caiva rākṣasaḥ ||
parighān paṭṭiśān prāsān śakti-śūla-paraśvadhān | cāpāni ca sabāṇāni khaṅgāṃś ca vipulān śitān ||
pragṛhya paramakruddhāḥ samutpatya ca rākṣasāḥ | abruvan rāvaṇaṃ sarve pradīptā iva tejasā ||
Darauf erhoben sich Nikumbha und Rabhasa, der überaus starke Sūryaśatru, Suptaghna, der rākṣasa, der die Opfergaben des yajña raubt, Mahāpārśva und Mahodara; Agniketu und der unbezwingbare Raśmiketu; und Indrajit, der mächtige, strahlende Sohn Rāvaṇas; ferner Prahasta, Virūpākṣa, der kraftvolle Vajradaṃṣṭra, Dhūmrākṣa, Atikāya und der rākṣasa Durmukha — all diese rākṣasas ergriffen Keulen, eiserne Streitkolben, Speere, śaktis, Dreizacke, Äxte, Bögen mit Pfeilen und breite scharfe Schwerter, sprangen in höchstem Zorn auf und redeten, von Glanz wie von Feuer lodernd, zu Rāvaṇa.
Then Nikumbha, Rshabha, mighty Suryasatru, Supthagna, Yagnaha raksha, Mahaparva, Mahodaro, Durdarsha, Agnikethu, Rasmikethu Rakshasas, Further Ravana's own son powerful Indrajith, Virupaksha and Prahasta, and mighty Rakshasas Vajradamshtra, Dumraaksha and also Durmukha of huge body holding iron bars, tridents, battle axes, bows and sharp arrows, very sharp swords, got up, highly enraged and all Rakshasas glowing like fire addressed Ravana.
FAQs
The verse depicts warriors rising in rage; ethically, it highlights (by contrast) that action driven by krodha and pride tends toward adharma, lacking the restraint and discernment praised elsewhere in the Ramayana.
Rāvaṇa’s principal commanders assemble, arm themselves, and rise to speak in counsel—setting up the strategic and moral debate about how to respond to Rāma’s advance.
Not a virtue but a warning-sign: the commanders are characterized by fury and martial confidence, illustrating how uncontrolled anger can dominate decision-making.