Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 8

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault

Devanagari script

निश्श्रेयसफलावेवधर्मार्थावितरावपि ।अधर्मानर्थयोःप्राप्तिःफलं च प्रत्यवायिकम् ।।।।

Transliteration

niḥśreyasaphalāv eva dharmārthāv itarāv api | adharmānarthayoḥ prāptiḥ phalaṃ ca pratyavāyikam ||

Translation

ధర్మం, అర్థం—ఇతర పురుషార్థాలూ యథావిధిగా అనుసరించబడితే నిశ్రేయస్కరమైన శుభఫలాన్ని ఇస్తాయి; కానీ అధర్మం మరియు అనర్థం వల్ల విరుద్ధమైన, ప్రత్యవాయసహితమైన, దుఃఖద ఫలమే లభిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• niśśreyasa-phalau: having niśśreyasa (highest good) as fruit
• niśśreyasa-phalau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśśreyasa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘niśśreyasasya phalam’

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• dharma-arthau: dharma and artha
• dharma-arthau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• itarau: the other two (among the three)
• itarau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; adjective qualifying dharmārthau

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• adharma-anarthayoḥ: of adharma and anartha
• adharma-anarthayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• prāptiḥ: attainment
• prāptiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• phalam: result
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to prāptiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pratyavāyikam: leading to harm/negative consequence
• pratyavāyikam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyavāyika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective qualifying phalam

Context

" All virtues and worldly pleasures and even otherwise give only benefit. But if done with disinterest and unrighteousness it can give a result which is other than prosperity."

Characters & Entities

• dharma
• artha
• adharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as the condition for truly auspicious outcomes; adharma inevitably yields pratyavāya—reversal, loss, and downfall.

What is the narrative situation?

In evaluating war-policy and life-goals, the speaker underscores that unrighteous means corrupt even desirable ends.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: the insistence that ends do not sanctify means; righteousness is integral to success.