Shloka 9
मायाशिरोप्रदर्शनम्
The Display of the Illusory Head of Rāma
एवमुक्तस्तथेत्याहविद्युज्जिह्वोनिशाचरः ।दर्शयामासतांमायांसुप्रयुक्तांसरावणे ।।।।तस्यतुष्टोऽभवद्राजाप्रददौचविभूषणम् ।
evam uktaḥ tathety āha vidyujjihvo niśācaraḥ |
darśayāmāsa tāṃ māyāṃ suprayuktāṃ sa rāvaṇe ||
tasya tuṣṭo 'bhavad rājā pradadau ca vibhūṣaṇam |
Setelah diperkatakan demikian, raksasa pengembara malam Vidyujjihva menjawab, “Baiklah,” lalu memperlihatkan kepada Rāvaṇa maya yang dilaksanakan dengan amat cermat. Raja pun berkenan, lalu mengurniakan suatu perhiasan.
Thereafter, thinking about what is appropriate to do, unassailable Ravana dispensed his ministers and entered his own residence.
FAQs
It warns that rewarding wrongdoing normalizes adharma. Satya is undermined when deception is incentivized with gifts and praise.
Vidyujjihva agrees, performs the illusion, and Rāvaṇa rewards him—confirming the deception will be used against Sītā.
The verse highlights skill (kauśala) divorced from ethics—ability becomes harmful when not guided by dharma.