तं स्वयं पूजयित्वा तु भोजनेनोदकेन च।अर्थोपहितया वाचा मारीचो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।
taṃ svayaṃ pūjayitvā tu bhojanenodakena ca |
arthopahitayā vācā mārīco vākyam abravīt ||
اسے خود کھانے اور پانی سے خاطر تواضع کر کے، ماریچ نے مقصد سے بھرپور باتوں میں یوں کہا۔
Thus ordered, the smart charioteer got the chariot of his choice harnessed in an instant.
Speech should be artha-yukta—truthful and purposeful. The Ramayana repeatedly treats vāṇī (speech) as a moral instrument that can uphold dharma or enable adharma.
Hospitality concludes and the dialogue begins; Mārīca prepares to question Rāvaṇa’s sudden arrival.
Measured, meaningful speech—communication that is not idle but directed toward understanding motives and circumstances.