Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 8

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

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

Devanagari script

निश्श्रेयसफलावेवधर्मार्थावितरावपि ।अधर्मानर्थयोःप्राप्तिःफलं च प्रत्यवायिकम् ।।।।

Transliteration

niḥśreyasaphalāv eva dharmārthāv itarāv api | adharmānarthayoḥ prāptiḥ phalaṃ ca pratyavāyikam ||

Translation

دھرم اور ارتھ—بلکہ دیگر مقاصد بھی—جب شریعت کے مطابق اختیار کیے جائیں تو نِشریَس (بھلائی) کا پھل دیتے ہیں؛ مگر اَدھرم اور ہلاکت خیز راہوں سے الٹا، نقصان دہ انجام ہی ہاتھ آتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• niśśreyasa-phalau: having niśśreyasa (highest good) as fruit
• niśśreyasa-phalau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśśreyasa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘niśśreyasasya phalam’

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• dharma-arthau: dharma and artha
• dharma-arthau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• itarau: the other two (among the three)
• itarau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; adjective qualifying dharmārthau

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• adharma-anarthayoḥ: of adharma and anartha
• adharma-anarthayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• prāptiḥ: attainment
• prāptiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• phalam: result
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to prāptiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pratyavāyikam: leading to harm/negative consequence
• pratyavāyikam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyavāyika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective qualifying phalam

Context

" All virtues and worldly pleasures and even otherwise give only benefit. But if done with disinterest and unrighteousness it can give a result which is other than prosperity."

Characters & Entities

• dharma
• artha
• adharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as the condition for truly auspicious outcomes; adharma inevitably yields pratyavāya—reversal, loss, and downfall.

What is the narrative situation?

In evaluating war-policy and life-goals, the speaker underscores that unrighteous means corrupt even desirable ends.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: the insistence that ends do not sanctify means; righteousness is integral to success.