Shloka 7
विभीषणोपदेशः
Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court
निशम्यवाक्यंतुविभीषणस्यततःप्रहस्तोवचनंबभाषे ।ननोभयंविद्मनदैवतेभ्योनदानवेभ्योऽप्यथवाकुतश्चित् ।।।।
niśamya vākyaṃ tu vibhīṣaṇasya tataḥ prahasto vacanaṃ babhāṣe | na no bhayaṃ vidma na daivatebhyo na dānavebhyo ’py athavā kutaścit ||
Nghe lời Vibhīṣaṇa, Prahasta liền đáp: “Chúng ta chẳng biết sợ—không sợ chư thiên, cũng chẳng sợ dānavas; lại càng không sợ bất cứ ai.”
"O King! It will not be possible for either Kumbhakarna or Indrajith so also for Mahaparsva not even Mahodara, so also for Nikumbha or Kumbha and Athikaya to face Rama in combat."
FAQs
The verse illustrates the ethical danger of arrogance: rejecting prudent, truthful counsel leads rulers and armies toward adharma and destruction.
Prahasta dismisses Vibhīṣaṇa’s warning, boasting that the rākṣasas fear no cosmic opponents.
A negative exemplar: bravado without discernment—valor divorced from righteousness and realism.