Shloka 21
विभीषणागमनम्
Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge
अन्तर्धानगताह्येतेराक्षसाःकामरूपिणः ।शूराश्चनिकृतिज्ञाश्चतेषांजातुनविश्वसेत् ।।6.17.21।।
antardhānagatā hy ete rākṣasāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ | śūrāś ca nikṛtijñāś ca teṣāṃ jātu na viśvaset || 6.17.21 ||
Rākṣasa-rākṣasa ini mampu menghilang dan berubah rupa sesuka hati; mereka gagah namun mahir tipu daya—maka jangan sekali-kali mempercayai mereka.
"Know that these Rakshasas are heroic, crafty and cannot be trusted. They can change their form at will and can move about without being seen."
FAQs
Discernment (viveka) is part of dharma: trust must be earned through सत्य (truthful conduct), not granted merely by appearance or claims.
Rāma’s allies warn him that rākṣasas possess powers and deception, so Vibhīṣaṇa’s arrival should be evaluated cautiously.
Vigilance—guarding the community against manipulation while seeking the truth.