Shloka 5

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

सुमहन्नोबलंकस्माद्विषादंभजतेभवान् ।त्वयाभोगवतींगत्वानिर्जिताःपन्नगायुधि ।।।।

Transliteration

sumahanno balaṃ kasmād viṣādaṃ bhajate bhavān |

tvayā bhogavatīṃ gatvā nirjitāḥ pannagā yudhi ||6.7.5||

Translation

നമ്മുടെ ബലം അതിമഹത്തായിരിക്കെ, ഭവാൻ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് വിഷാദത്തിലാഴുന്നു? ഭോഗവതിയിലേക്കു പോയപ്പോൾ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ പന്നഗന്മാർ (നാഗവർഗം) ഭവാനാൽ പരാജിതരായി.

Word by Word

• su-mahat: very great
• su-mahat: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya-like intensification (su + mahat); Napuṃsakalिङ्ग (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); qualifying "balam" (often read as su-mahat)

• balam: strength/army
• balam: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied "asti"/as topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• kasmāt: why
• kasmāt: Hetu (हेतु) (question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative ablative used adverbially; Pañcamī (Abl. 5), Ekavacana: "why/from what cause"

• viṣādam: despondency
• viṣādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• bhajate: resorts to/gives way to
• bhajate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (भज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Ātmanepada

• bhavān: you (hon.)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavant (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); honorific 2nd person

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive / Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā (Instr. 3), Ekavacana (sg.)

• bhogavatīm: Bhogavati
• bhogavatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhogavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.); proper noun (city/region)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• nirjitāḥ: were conquered
• nirjitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied "āsan")
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√ji (जि धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त) passive; Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• pannagāḥ: serpents/nagas
• pannagāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pannaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• yudhi: in battle
• yudhi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)

Context

"Why are you despondent? You have huge and mighty army strength. When you went to Bhogavathi, the Nagas were subdued in war by your mighty army."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It demonstrates how memory of past conquests can be used to suppress moral doubt; Dharma encourages honest self-examination rather than silencing conscience through boasts.

What is the narrative situation?

The counselors cite Rāvaṇa’s earlier victory over nāgas in Bhogavatī to counter his present anxiety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The counselors promote confidence; the Ramayana’s ethical lens suggests the superior virtue is humility and course-correction when one has strayed from Dharma.