Shloka 22

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana

Devanagari script

त्वजस्वकोपंसुखधर्मनाशनंभजस्वधर्मंरतिकीर्तिवर्धनम् ।प्रसीदजीवेमसपुत्रबान्धवाःप्रदीयतांदाशरथायमैथिली ।।।।

Transliteration

tyajasva kopaṃ sukhadharmanāśanaṃ bhajasva dharmaṃ ratikīrtivardhanam | prasīda jīvema sa putrabāndhavāḥ pradīyatāṃ dāśarathāya maithilī ||

Translation

Renonce à la colère, qui ruine le bonheur et le dharma ; réfugie-toi dans le dharma, qui accroît la joie légitime et la renommée durable. Apaise-toi, afin que nous vivions avec nos fils et nos proches, en rendant Maithilī au fils de Daśaratha.

Word by Word

• tyajasva: abandon
• tyajasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kopam: anger
• kopam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sukha-dharma-nāśanam: destroyer of happiness and dharma
• sukha-dharma-nāśanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (sukhasya dharmasya ca nāśanam / dharmasya nāśanam); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with कोपम्)

• bhajasva: pursue, resort to
• bhajasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• dharmam: dharma, righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rati-kīrti-vardhanam: enhancing pleasure and fame
• rati-kīrti-vardhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक) + kīrti (प्रातिपदिक) + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (ratiṃ kīrtiṃ ca vardhayati yat); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with धर्मम्)

• prasīda: be gracious, be calm
• prasīda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jīvema: we may live
• jīvema: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• sa: with
• sa: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
• Form: सहितार्थक-अव्यय (with)

• putra-bāndhavāḥ: sons and relatives
• putra-bāndhavāḥ: Sahakartā (सहकर्ता/associates)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (sons and kinsmen); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• pradīyatām: let be restored/given
• pradīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive)

• dāśarathāya: to the son of Daśaratha
• dāśarathāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

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

Context

"Give up that happiness and anger which destroys virtues. Seek pleasures that enhance fame. Be pacified. Live happily with sons and relatives restoring Mythili to Rama, the son of Dasaratha."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Rāma (Daśaratha’s son)

FAQs

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

Anger (kopa) is portrayed as a destroyer of dharma and well-being; dharma, by contrast, sustains social continuity—life with family, stability, and honorable reputation.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa offers a final ethical appeal to Rāvaṇa: choose calm and righteousness by returning Sītā, thereby saving Laṅkā’s future.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint (dama/kṣānti) as a royal virtue—necessary for rājadharma and the protection of one’s people.