Shloka 6.114.95
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः — Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
नृशंसइतिमांराम वक्ष्यन्तिमनुजाभुवि ।।।।श्रुत्वातस्यागुणान्सर्वेवक्ष्यन्तिसुकृतंपुनः ।
nṛśaṃsa iti māṃ rāma vakṣyanti manujā bhuvi |
śrutvā tasyāguṇān sarve vakṣyanti sukṛtaṃ punaḥ ||
O Rāma, people in the world will call me “merciless.” Yet when all hear of his faults, they will again say it was a good deed not to honor him.
"If I am not performing obsequies to my elder brother, the people in this world will call me ruthless. Again, on hearing his blemishes they will say that it is good not to do it for him."
The verse shows the pressure of loka-vāda (public opinion) versus dharma: society may judge harshly based on appearances, but informed judgment considers the moral record (aguṇa) of actions.
Vibhīṣaṇa anticipates conflicting public reactions if he refuses funeral rites: initial blame, then later approval once Rāvaṇa’s misdeeds are recalled.
Conscientiousness and accountability—Vibhīṣaṇa weighs both ethical truth and social consequence, seeking the dharmic course.