Shloka 15

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

नरावणोनातिबलस्त्रिशीर्षोनकुम्भकर्णोऽस्यसुतोनिकुम्भः ।नचेन्द्रजिद्दाशरधिंप्रसोढुंत्वंवारणेशक्रसमंसमर्थ:।। ।।

Transliteration

na rāvaṇo nātibalas triśīrṣo na kumbhakarṇo ’sya suto nikumbhaḥ | na cendrajid dāśaradhiṁ prasoḍhuṁ tvaṁ vā raṇe śakra-samaṁ samarthaḥ ||

Translation

രാവണനും അല്ല, അത്യന്തം ബലവാനായ ത്രിശീർഷനും അല്ല, കുംഭകർണന്റെ പുത്രനായ നികുംഭനും അല്ല, ഇന്ദ്രജിത്തും പോലും ശക്രസമനായ ദാശരഥിയെ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ താങ്ങാൻ കഴിയില്ല; പിന്നെ നീ എങ്ങനെ കഴിയും?

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (sentence negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (रावण) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (sentence negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• atibalaḥ: Atibala (the very-strong one)
• atibalaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: atibala (अतिबल) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); विशेष्य-रूपेण (as a named/epithet-like noun)

• triśīrṣaḥ: Triśīrṣa
• triśīrṣaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśīrṣa (त्रिशीर्ष) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); नाम (proper name)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (sentence negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Kumbhakarṇa
• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbhakarṇa (कुम्भकर्ण) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); नाम (proper name)

• asya: of him (i.e., of Kumbhakarṇa)
• asya: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive singular pronoun: 'of him/this')

• sutaḥ: son
• sutaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (सुत) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular)

• nikumbhaḥ: Nikumbha
• nikumbhaḥ: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikumbha (निकुम्भ) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); नाम (proper name)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (sentence negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction: 'and/also')

• indrajit: Indrajit
• indrajit: Karta (subject, implied with 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: indrajit (इन्द्रजित्) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); नाम (proper name)

• dāśaradhim: Dāśarathi (Rāma), son of Daśaratha
• dāśaradhim: Karman (object of infinitive 'prasoḍhum')
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (दाशरथि) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative singular)

• prasoḍhum: to withstand / to oppose
• prasoḍhum: Prayojana (purpose/action aimed: 'to withstand')
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sah (प्र + सह्) (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः—सहिष्णु/प्रतिरोधे (to endure/withstand/oppose)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (subject of 'samarthaḥ')
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (युष्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (2nd-person pronoun, nominative singular)

• vā: indeed / (rhetorical) then
• vā: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (disjunctive/alternative particle; often rhetorical: 'indeed/forsooth/or')

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikarana (location: in battle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (रण) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., locative singular)

• śakrasamam: equal to Indra
• śakrasamam: Karta (qualifier of subject 'tvam')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakra (शक्र) + sama (सम) (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (उपमान-तत्पुरुषः: शक्रेण समः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., accusative singular) — 'tvam' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (qualifying 'you')

• samarthaḥ: capable
• samarthaḥ: Karta (predicate of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (समर्थ) (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative adjective) — 'tvam' इत्यस्य

Context

"Either Ravana or exceptionally strong Trisirsha, or even Nikumbha son of Kumbahakarna, or Indrajith are not capable of opposing Rama who is equal to Indra in war. How can you?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Rāvaṇa
• Triśīrṣa
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Nikumbha
• Indrajit

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsible leadership: do not send others to ruin through delusion; measure strength truthfully and avoid unjust war driven by pride.

What is the narrative situation?

To deter Prahasta, the speaker lists Laṅkā’s greatest champions and asserts that even they cannot truly oppose Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful counsel (satya-vacana) and strategic restraint.