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 ||
ヴィビーシャナは彼に言った。「これはまことに羅刹の幻である。」しかしすぐに言い改めて、「おお、人中の虎よ、これは邪心のラーヴァナが作り出した幻ではない」と明らかにした。疑念と危難のただ中で、ヴィビーシャナは見極めを促す。異様な出来事のすべてを欺きと退けてはならず、ダルマに立つ統治者は恐れと信ずべき助言とを秤にかけねばならない。
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.