Shloka 27
आसाद्य तं जीवितसंशयस्ते मृत्युर्ध्रुवो ह्यद्य मया विरुध्य।एतद्यथावत्प्रतिगृह्य बुद्ध्या यदत्र पथ्यं कुरु तत्तथा त्वम्।।3.40.27।।
āsādya taṃ jīvitasaṃśayas te mṛtyur dhruvo hy adya mayā virudhya |
etad yathāvat pratigṛhya buddhyā yad atra pathyaṃ kuru tat tathā tvam ||3.40.27||
Nếu ngươi đến đối đầu với hắn, mạng ngươi sẽ lâm nguy; nhưng nếu hôm nay ngươi chống lại ta, cái chết của ngươi ắt là chắc chắn. Hãy suy xét cho đúng bằng trí tuệ, rồi ngay tại đây hãy làm điều thật sự có lợi cho ngươi.
A wise counsellor should give advice to the king only when his opinion is sought and that too with folded hands, if he wishes his own prosperity.
FAQs
Dharma rejects coercion and intimidation as tools of decision-making. The verse shows adharma in leadership: fear is used to force compliance rather than seeking satya-based counsel.
Rāvaṇa corners Mārīca with a threat: facing Rāma is dangerous, but disobeying Rāvaṇa is immediately fatal—pressuring Mārīca to cooperate in the plot.
The implied virtue is moral courage—choosing what is truly ‘pathyam’ (wholesome/right) despite threats. The verse highlights how difficult dharmic choice becomes under coercion.