Valmiki Ramayana 6.7.3 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 3

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ताराक्षसेन्द्रेणराक्षसास्तेमहाबलाः ।ऊचुःप्रान्जलयःसर्वेरावणंराक्षसेश्वरम् ।।।।द्विषत्पक्षमविज्ञायनीतिबाह्यास्त्वबुद्धयः ।

Transliteration

ity uktā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasās te mahābalāḥ |

ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve rāvaṇaṃ rākṣaseśvaram |

dviṣat-pakṣam avijñāya nīti-bāhyās tv abuddhayaḥ ||6.7.3||

Translation

ครั้นถูกตรัสโดยจอมแห่งรากษส เหล่ารากษสผู้มีกำลังยิ่งนั้น—มิรู้ฝ่ายของศัตรู และขาดหลักนิติรัฐศาสตร์—ต่างประนมมือพร้อมกัน แล้วกราบทูลพระราวณะ ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งรากษส

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle

• uktāḥ: having been addressed
• uktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त) passive; Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• rākṣasa-indreṇa: by the rakshasa-lord
• rākṣasa-indreṇa: Karaṇa (करण) / Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Puṃliṅga (m.), Tṛtīyā (Instr. 3), Ekavacana (sg.)

• rākṣasāḥ: rakshasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• mahābalāḥ: mighty
• mahābalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya; Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (pl.), Parasmaipada

• prāñjalayaḥ: with folded hands
• prāñjalayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• rāvaṇam: Ravana
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• rākṣasa-īśvaram: lord of rakshasas
• rākṣasa-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• dviṣat-pakṣam: enemy side
• dviṣat-pakṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dviṣat (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Puṃliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• avijñāya: not knowing
• avijñāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्)

• nīti-bāhyāḥ: devoid of policy
• nīti-bāhyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīti (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle

• abuddhayaḥ: unintelligent
• abuddhayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (pl.)

Context

The Lord of Rakshasas having spoken like that, to the Rakshasas, who were very strong, but ignorant about the enemy's strength and who were not endowed with political wisdom, spoke to Ravana, the king of Rakshasas, the following words with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma in governance requires nīti (wise counsel) grounded in truth; advisors who do not understand the opponent and lack policy-wisdom lead a ruler toward adharma and ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator introduces the rākṣasa council’s response to Rāvaṇa, characterizing their counsel as politically unwise and strategically ignorant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized is nīti-jñāna (political and ethical discernment) by contrast—its absence is explicitly stated.