Shloka 95
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः
Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
नृशंसइतिमांराम वक्ष्यन्तिमनुजाभुवि ।।।।श्रुत्वातस्यागुणान्सर्वेवक्ष्यन्तिसुकृतंपुनः ।
nṛśaṃsa iti māṃ rāma vakṣyanti manujā bhuvi |
śrutvā tasyāguṇān sarve vakṣyanti sukṛtaṃ punaḥ ||
ข้าแต่พระราม มนุษย์ทั้งหลายในโลกจักกล่าวหาข้าว่า ‘ไร้เมตตา’; แต่ครั้นเมื่อทุกคนได้ยินโทษความชั่วของเขาแล้ว ก็จักกล่าวอีกว่าการไม่ยกย่องเขานั้นเป็นกุศลกรรมแท้
"If I am not performing obsequies to my elder brother, the people in this world will call me ruthless. Again, on hearing his blemishes they will say that it is good not to do it for him."
FAQs
The verse shows the pressure of loka-vāda (public opinion) versus dharma: society may judge harshly based on appearances, but informed judgment considers the moral record (aguṇa) of actions.
Vibhīṣaṇa anticipates conflicting public reactions if he refuses funeral rites: initial blame, then later approval once Rāvaṇa’s misdeeds are recalled.
Conscientiousness and accountability—Vibhīṣaṇa weighs both ethical truth and social consequence, seeking the dharmic course.