Shloka 14

रावणस्य मन्त्रविचारः

Ravana’s Council on Strategy

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यमतिमास्थाययत्रसम्प्रतिभाष्यते ।।6.6.14।।नचैकमत्येश्रेयोऽस्तिमन्त्रस्सोऽधमउच्यत ।

Transliteration

anyonyamatim āsthāya yatra sampratibhāṣyate |

na caikamatye śreyo ’sti mantraḥ so ’dhama ucyata ||6.6.14||

Translation

ഓരോരുത്തനും സ്വന്തം അഭിപ്രായം പിടിച്ചുനിൽക്കി, പരസ്പരം ആത്മതൃപ്തിക്കായി മാത്രം മറുപടി പറയുകയും, ഏകമതത്തിലൂടെ യാതൊരു ശ്രേയസ്സും ഉണ്ടാകാതിരിക്കുകയുമെങ്കിൽ—അത്തരം മന്ത്രം അധമമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• anyonyamatim: one's own (mutual) opinion
• anyonyamatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (anyonya-mati = "mutual/each-other opinion" i.e., "one's own opinion vis-a-vis others"); Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• āsthāya: having adhered to
• āsthāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष), indeclinable verbal; "having resorted to/holding fast to"

• yatra: where/when
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (relative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; relative adverb

• sampratibhāṣyate: they reply/speak back
• sampratibhāṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-prati-√bhāṣ (भाष् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Ātmanepada; passive/impersonal sense possible by usage: "they speak back/respond"

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• ekamatye: in unanimity
• ekamatye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekamatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.)/Napुंसक (n.) usage; Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.); "in unanimity"

• śreyaḥ: good/result/benefit
• śreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of "asti")
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• mantraḥ: counsel
• mantraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• adhamaḥ: lowest/bad
• adhamaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); predicate adjective of "saḥ mantraḥ"

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया) (passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Ātmanepada; passive (कर्मणि प्रयोग): "is said/called"

Context

"Where counsellors with different opinions hold on to their individual opinions that pleases them and are not for the outcome of a unanimous decision, such a counsel is said to be bad."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects ego-driven factionalism in counsel. When speech becomes self-serving rebuttal rather than truth-seeking deliberation (Satya), governance collapses into ‘adhama’ counsel.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa concludes his typology by condemning counsel marked by stubborn individualism and the absence of consensus that produces welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is collective responsibility—placing common good above personal ego in deliberation.