Shloka 6.35.13

माल्यवानुपदेशः — Malyavan’s Counsel, Portents in Laṅkā, and the Proposal of Alliance

Devanagari script

धर्मोहिश्रूयतेपक्षीह्यमराणांमहात्मनाम् ।।।।अधर्मोरक्षसांपक्षोह्यसुराणांचराक्षस ।

Transliteration

dharmo hi śrūyate pakṣī hy amarāṇāṁ mahātmanām | adharmo rakṣasāṁ pakṣo hy asurāṇāṁ ca rākṣasa |

Translation

Dharma, it is said, is the side of the noble immortals, the great-souled; adharma is the side of the rākṣasas and the asuras, O Rākṣasa.

Context

"The great souls were towards righteousness and Rakshasas took the side of unrighteousness."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Amaras (Devas)
• Asuras
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as the defining allegiance of the noble; choosing adharma is not merely a tactic but a self-identification with destructive forces.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker categorizes the war as a moral contest, warning Rāvaṇa that his faction is aligned with adharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthfulness) in admonition—naming wrongdoing plainly rather than softening it.