Shloka 11
शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp
किंनुमृत्योर्भयंनास्तिवक्तुंमांपरुषंवचः ।यस्यमेशासतोजिह्वाप्रयच्छतिशुभाशुभम् ।।।।
kiṃ nu mṛtyor bhayaṃ nāsti vaktuṃ māṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ |
yasya me śāsato jihvā prayacchati śubhāśubham ||6.29.11||
മരണഭയം ഇല്ലയോ, എന്നോടു കടുത്ത വാക്കുകൾ പറയാൻ? ഞാൻ ആജ്ഞാപിച്ചാൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ നാവുതന്നെ ശുഭമോ അശുഭമോ ഉച്ചരിക്കേണ്ടിവരുന്നവൻ ഞാൻ ആകുന്നു.
"Did you not have fear of death when you spoke such harsh words to me, who can by mere order make good or evil to you?"
FAQs
Dharma restrains authority: using power to terrorize truthful speakers is unrighteous and corrodes just rule.
Rāvaṇa interprets the messengers’ report as insolence and threatens them with punishment.
Implicitly, the courage of speaking truth to power; explicitly, Rāvaṇa displays intimidation rather than principled leadership.