Shloka 6.83.18

त्र्यशीतितमः सर्गः (Sarga 83) — Hanumān Reports Sītā’s ‘Slaying’; Rāma Collapses; Lakṣmaṇa’s Counter-Discourse on Dharma and Artha

Devanagari script

तस्य च व्यसनाभावाद्व्यसनंचागतेत्वयि ।धर्मोभवत्यधर्मश्चपरस्परविरोधिनौ ।।6.83.18।।

Transliteration

yady adharmaḥ bhaved bhūto rāvaṇo narakaṃ vrajet |

bhavāṃś ca dharma-samyukto naivaṃ vyasanam āpnuyāt ||6.83.17||

Translation

If adharma truly existed as a real force, Rāvaṇa would go to hell; and you, endowed with dharma, would not meet with such distress.

Context

" As Ravana has no sorrow and you have experienced agony the contraries of each other have changed the roles of righteousness and unrighteousness."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Naraka

FAQs

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

It questions karmic moral causality: if dharma/adharma reliably produced results, the wicked would immediately fall and the righteous would be protected.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker contrasts Rāvaṇa’s apparent prosperity with the righteous side’s suffering to argue against a moral order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The addressee’s dharma-yoga (being ‘joined to dharma’)—moral rectitude despite adversity.