Shloka 6.7.13

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम् — Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

स्वबलंसमुपाश्रित्यनीतावशमरिन्दम ।मायाश्चाधिगतास्तत्रबह्व्योवैराक्षसाधिप ।।।।

Transliteration

svabalaṃ samupāśritya nītā vaśam arindama | māyāś cādhigatās tatra bahvyo vai rākṣasādhipa ||

Translation

O king of the Rākṣasas, subduer of foes, relying on your own strength you brought them under control; and from them indeed, there you learned many arts of māyā, of illusion.

Context

"O king of Rakshasas! (Those Danavas) were reduced to sub mission by resorting to your own strength. Oh! subduer of enemies, many deceitful tricks were learned from them."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It indirectly contrasts righteous power with manipulative power: reliance on sheer force and learned deception (māyā) can subdue others, but in the Ramayana such means are ethically suspect when used against dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

In Laṅkā’s war-council context, a speaker praises the rākṣasa side’s might and stratagems, addressing Rāvaṇa and recalling how subjugation and māyā-knowledge were achieved.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial capability and strategic cunning are emphasized (arindama; māyā-adhigama), though the epic later frames such qualities as inferior to dharmic righteousness.