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Shloka 16

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

अहितं च हिताकारंधार्ष्ट्याज्जल्पन्तियेनराः ।अवेक्ष्यमन्त्रबाह्यास्तेकर्तव्याःकृत्यदूषणा:।। 6.63.16।।

ahitaṁ ca hitākāraṁ dhārṣṭyāj jalpanti ye narāḥ |

avekṣya mantrabāhyās te kartavyāḥ kṛtyadūṣaṇāḥ || 6.63.16 ||

അഹിതത്തെ ഹിതമെന്നു മൂടിവെച്ച് ധാർഷ്ട്യത്തോടെ പുച്ഛിച്ചു സംസാരിക്കുന്നവരെ സൂക്ഷ്മമായി പരിശോധിച്ച് മന്ത്രസഭയ്ക്കു പുറത്താക്കേണ്ടതാണ്; അവർ സംരംഭത്തെ ദൂഷിച്ചു നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

ahitamwhat is harmful
ahitam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Roota-hita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of jalpanti
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
hitākāramin the guise of good
hitākāram:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Roothita + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially/predicatively: 'with the appearance of good'; तत्पुरुष: हितस्य आकारः
dhārṣṭyātfrom audacity
dhārṣṭyāt:
Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootdhārṣṭya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; ablative of cause
jalpantiprattle/speak
jalpanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√jalp (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural
yewho
ye:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (relative pronoun)
narāḥmen
narāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootnara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; in apposition to ye
avekṣyahaving examined
avekṣya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootava-√īkṣ (धातु: √īkṣ; उपसर्ग: ava)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्): 'having considered/examined'
mantra-bāhyāḥkept outside the council
mantra-bāhyāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of te)
TypeAdjective
Rootmantra + bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष: मन्त्रात् बाह्याः (excluded from counsel)
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kartavyāḥ)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
kartavyāḥmust be made/treated (thus)
kartavyāḥ:
Vidhi (विधि/Obligation predicate)
TypeAdjective
Root√kṛ (धातु)
FormGerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; obligation: 'should be made/done'
kṛtya-dūṣaṇāḥthose who spoil the undertaking
kṛtya-dūṣaṇāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of te)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛtya + dūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; बहुव्रीहि: कृत्यं दूषयन्ति ये

"Those who tender advice, which is unwholesome but in wholesome grab, out of their impudence should be kept away from discussion examining early as they mar the purpose."

K
Kumbhakarṇa
R
Rāvaṇa
M
mantra (council)

FAQs

Satya and dharma in counsel demand truthfulness: harmful proposals disguised as ‘good’ are adharma and must be excluded after careful evaluation.

Kumbhakarṇa advises screening advisers and removing those whose deceptive speech undermines sound decision-making.

Integrity in counsel—prioritizing truth and welfare over persuasive but harmful talk.