Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 14

विभीषणोपदेशे रावणस्य परुषवाक्यम्

Ravana’s Harsh Reply to Vibhishana’s Counsel

Devanagari script

यथाशरदिमेघानांसिञ्चतामपिगर्जताम् ।नभवत्यम्बुसंक्लेदस्तथाऽनार्येषुसौहृदम् ।।।।

Transliteration

yathā śaradi meghānāṃ siñcatām api garjatām | na bhavaty ambu-saṅkledas tathā 'nāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 6.16.14 ||

Translation

Như mây mùa thu, dẫu gầm vang và có đổ mưa, cũng chẳng làm đất trời ẩm lâu; cũng vậy, nơi kẻ bất lương thì tình thân hữu không có hơi ấm bền lâu.

Word by Word

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relational)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपमानार्थे (comparative sense)

• śaradi: in autumn
• śaradi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of time)

• meghānām: of clouds
• meghānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• siñcatām: (of those) pouring
• siñcatām: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sic (सिच्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; वर्तमानकाले; प्रथमा-बहुवचनस्य षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (genitive plural participial sense as in 'of those who pour'); रूपम्: शतृ/शानच्-प्राय प्रयोगः (contextual)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चयार्थे (even/also)

• garjatām: (of those) thundering
• garjatām: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: garj (गर्ज्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमा-बहुवचनस्य षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (genitive plural participial sense as in 'of those who thunder'); रूपम्: शतृ/शानच्-प्राय प्रयोगः (contextual)

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

• bhavati: occurs/is
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ambu-saṅkledaḥ: water-dampness; wetness caused by water
• ambu-saṅkledaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkleda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ambu-sya saṅkledaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tathā: so likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तथैव/एवमेव (so, likewise)

• anāryeṣu: among the ignoble
• anāryeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• sauhṛdam: friendship; goodwill
• sauhṛdam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject)

Context

"Just as the autumn rain poured out from the thundering clouds does not dampen, in the same way unworthy ones do not have affection."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Autumn (śarad)
• Clouds (megha)

FAQs

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

Dharma prizes steadfastness; affection that appears briefly but leaves no lasting moral ‘moisture’ is unreliable and not true friendship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa piles up similes to dismiss the possibility of genuine goodwill in the ‘unworthy,’ aiming the insult at Vibhīṣaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is steadiness and sincerity in relationships; the episode highlights how anger undermines truthful dialogue.