Shloka 14

रावणवधोत्तरं विभीषणशोकः—क्षत्रधर्मोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Lament after Ravana’s Fall; Instruction on Kshatriya-Dharma

Devanagari script

वदन्तंहेतुमद्वाक्यंपरिदृष्टार्थनिश्चयम् ।रामःशोकसमाविष्टमित्युवाचविभीषणम् ।।।।

Transliteration

vadantaṃ hetumadvākyaṃ paridṛṣṭārthaniścayam |

rāmaḥ śokasamāviṣṭam ity uvāca vibhīṣaṇam ||

Translation

A Vibhīṣaṇa, tomado de tristeza e, ainda assim, proferindo palavras ponderadas com entendimento firme, Rāma falou do seguinte modo.

Word by Word

• vadantam: (to him) speaking
• vadantam: Karma (कर्म) of uvāca (object addressed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadat (कृदन्त, √vad; śatṛ/शतृ)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Śatṛ (शतृ) present active participle; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana; कर्मपद—"speaking"

• hetumat: reasoned
• hetumat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vākyaṃ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hetumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā Ekavacana; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessed of reason)

• vākyaṃ: speech, words
• vākyaṃ: Karma (कर्म) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• paridṛṣṭa-artha-niścayam: with a conclusion based on examined facts
• paridṛṣṭa-artha-niścayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vākyaṃ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paridṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः—"परिदृष्टः अर्थः यस्य सः" (determinative: having ascertained the matter)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• śoka-samāviṣṭam: overcome by sorrow
• śoka-samāviṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vibhīṣaṇam
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + samāviṣṭa (कृदन्त, √viś with sam-ā)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः—"शोकेन समाविष्टः"

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (sentence-closer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• uvāca: said, spoke
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष) Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• vibhīṣaṇam: Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म) / addressee
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

Context

Thus spoke Rama to Vibheeshana, who was overcome with sorrow and speaking with reason, his determined opinion.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma includes guiding the grieving with reason and truth: compassion is paired with wise counsel to prevent sorrow from becoming delusion.

What is the narrative situation?

After Vibhīṣaṇa laments, the narration transitions to Rāma’s instruction meant to steady him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s leadership and empathy—he addresses sorrow not by dismissal but by grounding it in dharmic understanding.