Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 12

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

अधर्ममूलं बहुदोषयुक्तमनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य।उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः।।।।

Transliteration

adharmamūlaṁ bahudoṣayuktam anāryajuṣṭaṁ vacanaṁ niśamya |

uvāca vākyaṁ paramārthatattvaṁ vibhīṣaṇo buddhimatāṁ variṣṭhaḥ ||

Translation

不義を根とし、多くの過失を帯び、高貴なる者にふさわしからぬその言葉を聞いて、賢者の中の第一たるヴィビーシャナは、事の最高の真実にかなう言葉を述べた。

Word by Word

• अधर्ममूलम्: rooted in unrighteousness
• अधर्ममूलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म-मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• बहुदोषयुक्तम्: full of many faults
• बहुदोषयुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु-दोष-युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• अनार्यजुष्टम्: approved by ignoble people
• अनार्यजुष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्य-जुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacanam)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having heard/listened’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमार्थतत्त्वम्: the essence of highest truth
• परमार्थतत्त्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-अर्थ-तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vākyaṃ)

• विभीषणः: Vibhishana
• विभीषणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बुद्धिमताम्: of the wise
• बुद्धिमताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of the wise’ (genitive plural)

• वरिष्ठः: foremost
• वरिष्ठः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vibhīṣaṇaḥ)

Context

On hearing his brother's harsh words spoken in tremendous anger, which were not acceptable to noble souls, wise Vibhishana again spoke these words of supreme truth:

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa (implied as source of the adharmic words)

FAQs

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

Speaking truth grounded in dharma even when it is unwelcome: Vibhīṣaṇa embodies satya as principled counsel against adharmic policy.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa’s angry justification, Vibhīṣaṇa prepares to answer with a reasoned, dharma-rooted argument.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage and wisdom: the ability to oppose wrongful speech with clear ethical reasoning.