Shloka 6.24.25
लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च (Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation)
रावणःप्रहसन्नेवशुकंवाक्यमुवाचह ।।।।किमिमौतेसितौपक्षौलूनपक्षश्चदृश्यसे ।कच्चिन्नानेकचित्तानांतेषांत्वंवशमागतः ।।।।
rāvaṇaḥ prahasann eva śukaṃ vākyam uvāca ha |
kim imau te sitau pakṣau lūnapakṣaś ca dṛśyase |
kaccin nānaikacittānāṃ teṣāṃ tvaṃ vaśam āgataḥ ||
Laughing, Rāvaṇa addressed Śuka: “Why are your white wings bound so? You even look as though your wings have been clipped. Surely you have not fallen into the power of those fickle-minded Vānaras?”
Laughing at Suka, Ravana spoke these words. "Why are your wings fastened? Your wings have been clipped, it appears!. I suppose you have not fallen under the clutches of the fickle minded Vanaras!"
The verse highlights adharma through ridicule and suspicion: a ruler who mocks and distrusts his own envoy weakens truthful counsel and just governance.
Śuka returns injured and frightened; Rāvaṇa reacts by laughing and questioning whether Śuka has been subdued or compromised.
Negatively, Rāvaṇa’s lack of rājanīti grounded in dharma—he uses scorn instead of attentive inquiry.