Shloka 17

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana

Devanagari script

यावन्नसगजांसाश्वांबहुरत्नसमाकुलाम् ।पुरींदारयतेबाणैर्दीयतामस्यमैथिली ।।।।

Transliteration

yāvan na sa gajāṃ sāśvāṃ bahuratnasamākulām | purīṃ dārayate bāṇair dīyatām asya maithilī ||

Translation

Avant qu’il ne déchire de ses flèches cette cité, riche de joyaux et pleine d’éléphants et de chevaux, que Maithilī lui soit rendue.

Word by Word

• yāvat: until, before
• yāvat: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative ‘so long as/until’)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• sa-gajām: with elephants
• sa-gajām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सहित, अव्यय) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with elephants’ (सहितार्थे)

• sa-aśvām: with horses
• sa-aśvām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सहित, अव्यय) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with horses’

• bahu-ratna-samākulām: filled with many jewels
• bahu-ratna-samākulām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + samākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय (bahūni ratnāni yasyām sā); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with पुरीम्)

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dārayate: tears, rends
• dārayate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛ (धातु, दारणे)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• dīyatām: let (her) be given
• dīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

• asya: to him
• asya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• maithilī: Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"Before Rama comes with elephants and horses and tears with his arrows, this Lanka filled with abundance of gems, give away Mythili."

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā (implied by ‘city’ in context)
• Rāma (implied)
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Elephants
• Horses

FAQs

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

Prevent avoidable suffering: dharma includes choosing the path that minimizes destruction by correcting the original injustice promptly.

What is the narrative situation?

The advisor warns of imminent military catastrophe for Laṅkā if Rāvaṇa refuses to return Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Foresight and responsibility in governance—acting before harm becomes irreversible.