Shloka 16
कुन्तीगर्भगोपनम् तथा मञ्जूषाप्रवाहः
Kuntī’s concealed childbirth and the river-borne casket
मायैषा राक्षसस्येति तमुवाच विभीषण: । नेयं माया नरव्याप्र रावणस्य दुरात्मन:,मातलिके ऐसा कहनेपर श्रीरामचन्द्रजीने उसकी बातपर इसलिये संदेह किया कि कहीं यह भी राक्षसकी माया ही न हो। तब विभीषणने उनसे कहा--'पुरुषसिंह! यह दुरात्मा रावणकी माया नहीं है
māyaiṣā rākṣasasyeti tam uvāca vibhīṣaṇaḥ | neyaṃ māyā naravyāghra rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ ||
Vibhīṣaṇa berkata kepadanya: “Ini adalah tipu-daya rākṣasa.” Namun kemudian ia menegaskan, “Wahai harimau di antara manusia, ini bukanlah ilusi yang diciptakan oleh Rāvaṇa yang berhati jahat.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights viveka (discernment): in perilous situations one must not let fear or suspicion alone decide what is true. Reliable counsel helps a righteous leader distinguish genuine events from deceptive māyā, avoiding both gullibility and cynical dismissal.
Vibhīṣaṇa addresses a heroic figure (implicitly Rāma), speaking about an apparent illusion. He first acknowledges it as a rākṣasa’s māyā, then insists it is not produced by Rāvaṇa, countering the suspicion that the phenomenon is merely Rāvaṇa’s deceit.