Shloka 25
मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana
On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction
अहं तु मन्ये तव न क्षमं रणे समागमं कोसलराजसूनुना।इदं हि भूयश्श़ृणु वाक्यमुत्तमं क्षमं च युक्तं च निशाचरेश्वर।।।।
ahaṃ tu manye tava na kṣamaṃ raṇe samāgamaṃ kosalarājasūnunā |
idaṃ hi bhūyaḥ śṛṇu vākyam uttamaṃ kṣamaṃ ca yuktaṃ ca niśācareśvara ||
Adapun aku berpendapat: tidak wajar bagimu bertemu dalam peperangan dengan putera raja Kosala. Dengarlah sekali lagi kata-kata yang mulia ini—yang patut dan beralasan—wahai tuan para pengembara malam.
A king who is a slave to passion, who is of bad conduct, of wicked thoughts, advised in evil ways destroys himself, his kith and kin and the entire kingdom.
FAQs
Dharma includes restraint and choosing the reasonable course (yukta); one should not enter a war that is unjust or disastrously imprudent.
Mārīca concludes his warning by advising Rāvaṇa that confronting Rama in battle is improper and irrational, urging him to heed sound counsel.
The virtue of listening to wise, fitting advice—placing reason and propriety above ego and desire.