Shloka 11

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

वधस्तुरामस्यमयात्वयाचप्रहस्तसर्वैरपिराक्षसैर्वा ।कथंभवेदर्थविशारदस्यमहार्णवंतर्तुमिवाप्लवस्य ।।।।

Transliteration

vadhas tu rāmasya mayā tvayā ca prahasta sarvair api rākṣasair vā |

kathaṃ bhaved artha-viśāradasya mahārṇavaṃ tartum ivāplavasya ||

Translation

โอ้ปรหัสดะ การสังหารพระรามจะเป็นไปได้อย่างไร—ไม่ว่าด้วยมือข้า ด้วยมือเจ้า หรือแม้ด้วยเหล่ารากษสทั้งปวง—เมื่อพระองค์ทรงรอบรู้ในกิจการทั้งหลาย? ก็เหมือนผู้ว่ายน้ำไม่เป็นจะข้ามมหาสมุทรอันกว้างใหญ่

Word by Word

• vadhaḥ: killing
• vadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (of bhavet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tu: however / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/Viśeṣa-nipāta (particle: 'but/indeed')

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive: of whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument, agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Madhyama-puruṣa, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• prahasta: O Prahastha
• prahasta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana (Plural); agrees with rākṣasaiḥ

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Sambhāvanā/Samuccaya-nipāta (particle: 'even/also')

• rākṣasaiḥ: by Rakshasas
• rākṣasaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (disjunctive: 'or')

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (interrogative adverb: 'how')

• bhavet: could be / would be possible
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (Optative/Potential), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• arthaviśāradasya: of the one skilled in all matters
• arthaviśāradasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'skilled in matters' (artha-viśārada) qualifying rāmasya (genitive)

• mahārṇavam: the great ocean
• mahārṇavam: Karma (कर्म/Object) (of tartum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'great ocean'

• tartum: to cross
• tartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṝ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (Infinitive/तुमुन्), 'to cross'

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-nipāta (particle of comparison: 'like')

• aplavasya: of a non-swimmer
• aplavasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive in simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-plava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; nañ-tatpuruṣa sense: 'without ability to swim/float' (genitive in simile: 'of a non-swimmer')

Context

"Prahastha! How can you or me or all Rakshasas kill Rama who is knowledgeable of everything, just as one who is not swimming can cross the great ocean."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Prahastha
• Rākṣasas
• Mahārṇava (great ocean)

FAQs

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

Dharma is linked with clear-sighted truth: Vibhīṣaṇa urges realism grounded in moral order—opposing a righteous protector like Rāma is both ethically wrong and strategically ruinous.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa warns Prahastha and the court that fantasies of killing Rāma are impossible, using a vivid simile of an unskilled person attempting to cross an ocean.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Wisdom (prajñā) and integrity: Vibhīṣaṇa combines ethical judgment with practical assessment, modeling dharmic counsel.