Shloka 5
राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्
Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana
सुमहन्नोबलंकस्माद्विषादंभजतेभवान् ।त्वयाभोगवतींगत्वानिर्जिताःपन्नगायुधि ।।।।
sumahanno balaṃ kasmād viṣādaṃ bhajate bhavān |
tvayā bhogavatīṃ gatvā nirjitāḥ pannagā yudhi ||6.7.5||
Mengapa Paduka menyerah pada keputusasaan, padahal kekuatan kita demikian besar? Ketika Paduka pergi ke Bhogavatī, para nāga (makhluk ular) telah Paduka kalahkan dalam pertempuran.
"Why are you despondent? You have huge and mighty army strength. When you went to Bhogavathi, the Nagas were subdued in war by your mighty army."
FAQs
It demonstrates how memory of past conquests can be used to suppress moral doubt; Dharma encourages honest self-examination rather than silencing conscience through boasts.
The counselors cite Rāvaṇa’s earlier victory over nāgas in Bhogavatī to counter his present anxiety.
The counselors promote confidence; the Ramayana’s ethical lens suggests the superior virtue is humility and course-correction when one has strayed from Dharma.