Shloka 6.14.20

विभीषणोपदेशः (Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court)

Devanagari script

सुवारिणाराघवसागरेणप्रच्छाद्यमानस्तरसाभवद्भि: ।युक्तस्त्वयंतारयितुंसमेत्यकाकुत्स्थपातालमुखेपतन्सः ।।।।

Transliteration

suvāriṇā rāghava-sāgareṇa pracchādyamānas tarasā bhavadbhiḥ | yuktas tv ayaṁ tārayituṁ sametya kākutstha-pātāla-mukhe patan saḥ ||

Translation

As he is being swiftly engulfed by the “ocean of Rāghava”—as though falling into the underworld whose mouth is Kakutstha—it is right for you to assemble and bring him safely across, freeing him from that doom.

Context

"He is going to fall into the ocean called Rama to be destroyed, engulfed in the pit of the shape of Kakutstha Rama, the underworld. It is proper for all of us to join and make him free."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava, Kakutstha)
• Pātāla (underworld)
• Rāvaṇa (implied as 'he/this one')

FAQs

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

Dharma is not passive: when a community sees a leader rushing toward catastrophe, it must unite to prevent further adharma and its consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker depicts Rāvaṇa’s impending ruin as drowning in Rāma’s overwhelming power, urging the court to intervene together.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective moral responsibility—shared duty to restrain harmful decisions and avert destruction.