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Shloka 12

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

धर्मप्रधानस्यमहारथस्यइक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवस्यराज्ञः ।पुरोस्यदेवाश्चतथाविधस्यकृत्येषुशक्तस्यभवन्तिमूढा ।।।।

dharmapradhānasya mahārathasya ikṣvākuvaṁśa-prabhavasya rājñaḥ | puro ’sya devāś ca tathāvidhasya kṛtyeṣu śaktasya bhavanti mūḍhāḥ ||

Di hadapan raja itu—lahir dari keturunan Ikṣvāku, seorang maharatha, yang menegakkan dharma sebagai utama, dan berkuasa dalam tindakan yang menentukan—bahkan para dewa dahulu pernah menjadi bingung. Maka apakah yang mampu kamu lakukan melawan baginda?

धर्मप्रधानस्यof the one for whom righteousness is foremost
धर्मप्रधानस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation/possessor)
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्म + प्रधान (प्रातिपदिके; समासः)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine); विशेषणम्
महारथस्यof the great charioteer / great warrior
महारथस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootमहारथ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine)
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवस्यof the one born in the Ikṣvāku lineage
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeAdjective
Rootइक्ष्वाकु + वंश + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिके; समासः)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine); विशेषणम्
राज्ञःof the king
राज्ञः:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine)
पुरःformerly / earlier
पुरः:
क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरः (अव्ययम्)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: 'formerly/previously/in front')
अस्यof him / of this (person)
अस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular; pronoun)
देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
कर्ता (agent/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (nominative plural masculine); कर्तृपदम्
and / even
:
समुच्चय (connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्ययम्)
Formअव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction: 'and/even')
तथाविधस्यof such a kind / of such a nature
तथाविधस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeAdjective
Rootतथा + विध (प्रातिपदिके; समासः)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine); विशेषणम्
कृत्येषुin actions / in duties / in matters to be done
कृत्येषु:
अधिकरण (locus: 'in/with regard to')
TypeNoun
Rootकृत्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (locative plural neuter)
शक्तस्यof the capable/competent one
शक्तस्य:
सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्; √शक् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः)
Formपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषणम् (past participial adjective: 'able/capable')
भवन्तिbecome / are
भवन्ति:
क्रिया (verbal action)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (धातुः) + लट्
Formलट्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (present indicative, 3rd person plural)
मूढाःbewildered / deluded
मूढाः:
कर्ता-विशेषण (predicate adjective of the subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootमूढ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्; √मुह् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (nominative plural masculine); कर्तृविशेषणम्

"One to whom righteousness is foremost, who is capable of fighting with eleven thousand warriors as charioteer, (like Dasaratha) who is a glorious scion of Ikshvaku dynasty, who is highly capable in war, in front of whom even gods got bewildered earlier. What can be done by you?"

R
Rāma
I
Ikṣvāku dynasty
D
Devas (gods)

FAQs

True strength is grounded in dharma: Rāma’s power is portrayed as inseparable from righteousness, implying that unrighteous aggression collapses before dharmic authority.

In Laṅkā’s war-council atmosphere, a speaker warns that Rāma’s prowess and dharmic stature have overwhelmed even divine opponents, making boasting against him reckless.

Rāma’s dharma-niṣṭhā (steadfast prioritizing of righteousness) combined with effective, purposeful action (kṛtyeṣu śakti).