Valmiki Ramayana 6.16.25 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 25

विभीषणोपदेशे रावणस्य परुषवाक्यम्

Ravana’s Harsh Reply to Vibhishana’s Counsel

Devanagari script

तन्मर्षयतुयच्चोक्तंगुरुत्वाद्धितमिच्छता ।।।।अत्मानंसर्वथारक्षपुरींचेमांसराक्षसाम् ।स्वस्तितेऽस्तुगमिष्यामिसुखीभवमयाविना ।।।।

Transliteration

tan marṣayatu yac coktaṃ gurutvād dhitam icchatā |

ātmānaṃ sarvathā rakṣa purīṃ cemāṃ sa-rākṣasām |

svasti te 'stu gamiṣyāmi sukhī bhava mayā vinā ||

Translation

Perdona cuanto he dicho; por ser tú mi mayor, hablé buscando tu bien. Protégente en todo modo, y protege también esta ciudad junto con los rākṣasas. Que la dicha y el buen augurio sean contigo; yo partiré: sé feliz sin mí.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; 'that (offence/statement)'

• marṣayatu: may (you) forgive
• marṣayatu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative/लोट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ājñā/vidhi: 'let (it) be forgiven'

• yat: what
• yat: Karma (कर्म/Object-content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; correlates with tat; here object-content: 'what'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• uktam: spoken
• uktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/qualifier of yat)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Kta (past passive participle/क्त), Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'spoken/said'

• gurutvāt: due to (your) seniority
• gurutvāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gurutva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; hetu/apādāna: 'because of seniority'

• hitam: beneficial advice
• hitam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (कृदन्त, √dhā with hi-)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; 'beneficial (thing/advice)'

• icchatā: by (one) wishing
• icchatā: Kartā (कर्ता/Agent, expressed in instrumental)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ (present active participle/शतृ), Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; 'by (me) wishing' (agent-instrumental)

• ātmānam: yourself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• sarvathā: in every way
• sarvathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb)

• rakṣa: protect
• rakṣa: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• imām: this
• imām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of purīm

• sa-rākṣasām: together with the rākṣasas
• sa-rākṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; avyayībhāva: 'together with the rākṣasas' qualifying purīm (genitive: 'of the city along with rākṣasas')

• svasti: well-being; auspiciousness
• svasti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Benediction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svasti (अव्यय)
• Form: maṅgala-avyaya (benedictive particle)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• astu: may (it) be
• astu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; benedictive sense: 'may it be'

• gamiṣyāmi: I will depart
• gamiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic future/लुट्), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Karma-pravacanīya/Predicative (पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicative with bhava

• bhava: be
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• mayā: by/with me
• mayā: Sahārtha (सह/Instrumental in 'without')
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: vyatireka-avyaya (preposition-like indeclinable) governing instrumental

Context

"We have no fear of fire or weapons or noose of death. Selfish relatives are causing fear in us."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Laṅkā (capital city implied)
• rākṣasas (as a group)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes speaking beneficial truth respectfully, and when counsel is rejected, withdrawing from adharma without hatred—while still wishing the other’s welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

After offering repeated advice, Vibhīṣaṇa asks forgiveness for any harshness, urges Rāvaṇa to protect himself and Laṅkā, and declares his departure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s moral firmness and compassion: he separates from wrongdoing yet maintains goodwill and respectful speech.