Shloka 28

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana and the Catalogue of Omens

Devanagari script

भयंनपश्यामिकुतश्चिदप्यहंनराघवःप्राप्स्यतिजातुमैथिलीम् ।सुरैस्सहेन्द्रैरपिसङ्गरेकथंममाग्रतस्स्थास्यतिलक्ष्मणाग्रजः ।।।।

Transliteration

bhayaṁ na paśyāmi kutaścid apy ahaṁ na rāghavaḥ prāpsyati jātu maithilīm |

suraiḥ sahendrair api saṅgare kathaṁ mamāgrataḥ sthāsyati lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ ||

Translation

ข้าหามีความหวาดกลัวจากผู้ใดไม่ ราฆวะจักมิได้ครอบครองนางไมถิลีเป็นแน่ แล้วพี่ใหญ่ของพระลักษมณ์จะยืนต่อหน้าข้าในศึกได้อย่างไร แม้เหล่าเทวะจะมาพร้อมพระอินทร์ก็ตาม

Word by Word

इतिthus

एवम्in this way

उक्त्वाhaving spoken

सुरसैन्यनाशनःdestroyer of the gods’ army

महाबलःmighty

संयतिin battle

चण्डविक्रमःof fierce valor

दशाननःTen-faced (Rāvaṇa)

भ्रातरम्(his) brother

आप्तवादिनम्good-counseling speaker

विसर्जयामासdismissed/sent away

तदाthen

विभीषणम्Vibhīṣaṇa

Context

Then mighty ten-headed Ravana of formidable valour, a destroyer of Devatas' army in war, sent away Vibheeshana who had spoken words of good advice in that manner.।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēvāmalīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēdaśamassargaḥ।।This is the end of the tenth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

Rāvaṇa

Rāghava (Rāma)

Maithilī (Sītā)

Indra

suras (gods)

Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma through pride: overconfidence blinds one to truth and justice, leading to the refusal to restore what is rightfully another’s.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa responds to Vibhīṣaṇa’s advice with boastful defiance, denying that Rāma can recover Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative trait is foregrounded—arrogance (mada), which undermines discernment and dharmic action.