Shloka 5.58.148
सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः — हनुमद्वृत्तान्तकथनम्, सीताभिज्ञान-प्रदानम्, लङ्कादाह-वर्णनम्
सुमहत्यपराधेऽपि दूतस्यातुलविक्रमः।विरूपकरणं दृष्टं न वधोऽस्तीति शास्त्रतः।।।।
sumahaty aparādhe 'pi dūtasya atulavikramaḥ | virūpakaraṇaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ na vadho 'stīti śāstrataḥ ||
“O man of immeasurable valor: even if an envoy commits a grave offense, the texts allow only disfigurement as punishment—never execution.”
'O Ravana of immeasurable courage! even if the emissary has done any kind of harm he may be mutilated but not murdered. Nowhere do the sastras allow killing (of an ambassador).
Proportional justice under śāstra: punishment must respect protected roles (like envoys) and must not cross into unlawful killing.
Vibhīṣaṇa continues his legal-ethical argument, distinguishing permissible punishment from forbidden execution.
Vibhīṣaṇa’s integrity as a counselor grounded in śāstra and restraint.