Shloka 35

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

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

Devanagari script

एतत्सुनीतंममदर्शनेनरामंहिदृष्टवैभवेदनर्धः ।इहैवतेसेत्स्यतिमोत्सुकोभूर्महानयुद्धेनसुखस्यलाभः ।।।।

Transliteration

etat sunītaṃ mama darśanena rāmaṃ hi dṛṣṭvaiva bhaved anarthaḥ |

ihaiva te setsyati mā utsuko bhūr mahān ayuddhena sukhasya lābhaḥ ||

Translation

ตามความเห็นของข้า นี่แลเป็นหนทางอันสุขุมที่สุด: ครั้นได้เห็นพระรามแล้ว อย่าได้ร้อนรนใฝ่สงคราม เพราะย่อมนำแต่ความพินาศ. ณ ที่นี้เอง โดยไม่ต้องรบ ท่านจะได้ลาภอันใหญ่คือความผาสุก

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुनीतम्: well-advised; good policy
• सुनीतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-नीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु नीतम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दर्शनेन: by seeing/meeting
• दर्शनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed)

• दृष्टवैभवे: upon seeing (his) might/splendour
• दृष्टवैभवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट-वैभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दृष्टं वैभवं यस्य/यत्र)

• दन्-अर्थः: (text uncertain) purposive/meaningful
• दन्-अर्थः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृसम्बन्धि विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दन्-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पाठदोषसम्भवः—अर्थः ‘अनर्थः’ अपेक्षितः; तत्पुरुषः

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• एव: just/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (only/just)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘to you’

• सेत्स्यति: will be accomplished/accrue
• सेत्स्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सि/सेध्? (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; पाठभेदसम्भवः—‘सेत्स्यति’≈‘सेत्स्यति/सेत्स्यते’ (will succeed/accrue)

• मा: do not
• मा: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (prohibitive)

• उत्सुकः: eager
• उत्सुकः: Karta-predicative (कर्तृसम्बन्धि विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (त्वम् implied)

• भूः: be
• भूः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; निषेध ‘मा’ सह

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (लाभः)

• अयुद्धेन: without fighting; by non-war
• अयुद्धेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक

• सुखस्य: of happiness
• सुखस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• लाभः: gain
• लाभः: Karta-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"To me this is the best course. As soon as you see Rama, do not be eager for war. It is meaningless. Great gain will accrue to you from here."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

How does this verse express Dharma in the context of war?

Vibhīṣaṇa frames Dharma as choosing the well-advised path that avoids needless destruction: if war brings only anartha (ruin), then restraint and seeking peace is the righteous course.

Where is Satya (truth) reflected in this counsel?

Satya appears in the frank warning that war will be futile and harmful; truthful speech here is meant to prevent adharma and suffering by urging a realistic, non-deceptive assessment of consequences.