Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 18

विभीषणोपदेशे रावणस्य परुषवाक्यम्

Ravana’s Harsh Reply to Vibhishana’s Counsel

Devanagari script

अब्रवीच्चतदावाक्यंजातक्रोधोविभीषणः ।अन्तरिक्षगत्शीमान्भ्रातरंराक्षसाधिपम् ।।।।

Transliteration

abravīc ca tadā vākyaṃ jātakrodho vibhīṣaṇaḥ | antarikṣagataḥ śrīmān bhrātaraṃ rākṣasādhipam ||

Translation

Noon, si Vibhīṣaṇa, nag-alab ang poot, ay umakyat sa himpapawid at nagsalita ng mga salitang ito sa kaniyang kapatid—ang panginoon ng mga rākṣasa.

Word by Word

• saḥ: you (that one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhrātā: brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता/subject-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asi: are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया/copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• brūhi: tell
• brūhi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू) (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यद्-यद् (correlative: whatever)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• icchasi: you wish
• icchasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: elder
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of tvam)

• mānyaḥ: worthy of respect
• mānyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• pitṛ-samaḥ: equal to a father
• pitṛ-samaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (pitṛ-sama = 'equal to a father'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• dharma-pathe: on the path of dharma
• dharma-pathe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: dharmasya pathaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sthitaḥ: standing; abiding
• sthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (standing/abiding)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of vākyam)

• tu: however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष/विरोधार्थे (but/indeed)

• paruṣam: harsh
• paruṣam: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of vākyam)

• vākyam: speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• kṣamāmi: I forgive
• kṣamāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣam (क्षम) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; उत्तम-पुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• agrajasya: of the elder brother
• agrajasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: of elder brother)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (your)

Context

"O King! You, being my elder brother, you may tell me What you wish. You are equal to father being elder brother and are to be honoured. But you have not followed the righteous path. The words you spoke are not pardonable."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Laṅkā (implicit)

FAQs

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

Even amid anger, dharma may require speaking truth to power; kinship does not override moral accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa physically distances himself (rising into the air) and prepares to address Rāvaṇa with final admonition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve—he chooses principled separation rather than complicity.