Shloka 28

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana and the Catalogue of Omens

Devanagari script

भयंनपश्यामिकुतश्चिदप्यहंनराघवःप्राप्स्यतिजातुमैथिलीम् ।सुरैस्सहेन्द्रैरपिसङ्गरेकथंममाग्रतस्स्थास्यतिलक्ष्मणाग्रजः ।।।।

Transliteration

bhayaṁ na paśyāmi kutaścid apy ahaṁ na rāghavaḥ prāpsyati jātu maithilīm |

suraiḥ sahendrair api saṅgare kathaṁ mamāgrataḥ sthāsyati lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ ||

Translation

എനിക്ക് എവിടെയുമൊരുവിധ ഭയവും കാണുന്നില്ല. രാഘവന് ഒരിക്കലും മൈഥിലിയെ നേടാൻ കഴിയില്ല. ഇന്ദ്രനോടുകൂടി ദേവന്മാർ വന്നാലും, യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ലക്ഷ്മണന്റെ അഗ്രജൻ എന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ എങ്ങനെ നില്ക്കും?

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotative

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive); ‘having spoken’

• सुरसैन्यनाशनः: destroyer of the gods’ army
• सुरसैन्यनाशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura-sainya + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘destroyer of the army of the gods’

• महाबलः: mighty
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘great in strength’

• संयति: in battle
• संयति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• चण्डविक्रमः: of fierce valor
• चण्डविक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍa + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘fierce in prowess’

• दशाननः: Ten-faced (Rāvaṇa)
• दशाननः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु: ‘ten-faced’ (Rāvaṇa)

• भ्रातरम्: (his) brother
• भ्रातरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आप्तवादिनम्: good-counseling speaker
• आप्तवादिनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpta + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘one who speaks apt/true words’

• विसर्जयामास: dismissed/sent away
• विसर्जयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect sense ‘sent away/dismissed’

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; time-adverb

• विभीषणम्: Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Then mighty ten-headed Ravana of formidable valour, a destroyer of Devatas' army in war, sent away Vibheeshana who had spoken words of good advice in that manner.।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēvāmalīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēdaśamassargaḥ।।This is the end of the tenth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Indra
• suras (gods)
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma through pride: overconfidence blinds one to truth and justice, leading to the refusal to restore what is rightfully another’s.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa responds to Vibhīṣaṇa’s advice with boastful defiance, denying that Rāma can recover Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative trait is foregrounded—arrogance (mada), which undermines discernment and dharmic action.