Shloka 18

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

अनन्तभोगेनसहस्रमूर्थ्नानागेनभीमेनमहाबलेव ।बलात्परिक्षिप्तमिमंभवन्तोराजानमुत्क्षिप्यविमोचयन्तु ।।।।

Transliteration

ananta-bhोगena sahasra-mūrdhnā nāgena bhīmena mahā-balena | balāt parikṣiptam imaṁ bhavanto rājānam utkṣipya vimocayantu ||

Translation

അനന്തവളയങ്ങളുള്ള, സഹസ്രമസ്തക, ഭീകരവും മഹാബലവാനുമായ നാഗം ഈ രാജാവിനെ ബലാൽ ചുറ്റിപ്പിണഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു; നിങ്ങൾ അവനെ ഉയർത്തി ആ പിണക്കത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ബലത്തോടെ മോചിപ്പിക്കുവിൻ.

Word by Word

• अनन्तभोगेन: with the endless-coiled (serpent)
• अनन्तभोगेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त-भोग (प्रातिपदिक; अनन्त + भोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine); समासः—कर्मधारयः

• सहस्रमूर्ध्ना: with the thousand-headed (one)
• सहस्रमूर्ध्ना: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + मूर्धन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine); समासः—द्विगुः (सहस्रसंख्यापूर्वकः)

• नागेन: by/with the serpent
• नागेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine)

• भीमेन: fearsome
• भीमेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘नागेन’)

• महाबलेन: very strong / of great strength
• महाबलेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + बल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘नागेन’); समासः—कर्मधारयः

• इव: as if / like
• इव: सम्बन्ध/उपमान (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम् (indeclinable of comparison: ‘as/like’)

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: अपादान (Source/means expressed as ‘by force’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Ablative singular, neuter); अव्ययीभावार्थे—‘बलात्’ = बलपूर्वकम् (by force)

• परिक्षिप्तम्: encircled / entwined
• परिक्षिप्तम्: कर्मणि विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षिप् (धातु) → परिक्षिप्त (कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, neuter); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘इमम् … राजानम्’ as the one ‘encircled’)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine); सर्वनाम (pronoun); विशेषणम् (determiner of ‘राजानम्’)

• भवन्तः: you (honored ones)
• भवन्तः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थक-प्रयोगः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural, masculine); आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम (honorific ‘you’)

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, masculine)

• उत्क्षिप्य: having lifted up
• उत्क्षिप्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial: prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-क्षिप् (धातु) → उत्क्षिप्य (कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभावः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive in -ya); पूर्वक्रिया (having done earlier)

• विमोचयन्तु: let them/you release (him)
• विमोचयन्तु: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु) → विमोचयति (णिच्) (causative base)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative mood), प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम् (3rd person plural); परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: ‘cause to be released’)

Context

"This king is entwined by a fearsome and extremely strong thousand hooded snake endowed with extraordinary energy at present. Lift him up and relieve him."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (implied as 'the king')

FAQs

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

Dharma includes intervention to prevent wrongdoing: when a leader is bound by destructive obsession, advisers must act decisively to restrain and reform.

What is the narrative situation?

Using a serpent-entanglement metaphor, the speaker urges the court to rescue the king from the grip of his ruinous fixation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective responsibility—placing the kingdom’s welfare above passive obedience.