Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 3

माल्यवानुपदेशः

Malyavan’s Counsel, Portents in Laṅkā, and the Proposal of Alliance

Devanagari script

अथतान्सचिवांस्तत्रसर्वानाभाष्यरावणः ।सभांसन्नादयन् सर्वामित्युवाचमहाबलः ।।।।जगत्सन्तापन्क्रूरोगर्हयन्राक्षसेश्वरः ।

Transliteration

atha tān sacivāṃs tatra sarvān ābhāṣya rāvaṇaḥ | sabhāṃ sannādayan sarvām ity uvāca mahābalaḥ || jagat-santāpanaḥ krūro garhayan rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

Translation

Bấy giờ Rāvaṇa, chúa tể loài Rākṣasa, tàn bạo, kẻ khiến thế gian khổ não, liền gọi các đại thần mà nói; làm cả hội đường vang dội, bậc dũng lực ấy cất lời quở trách họ.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• sacivān: ministers
• sacivān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saciva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• ābhāṣya: having addressed
• ābhāṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), ‘आभाष्य’ = having addressed

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sabhām: assembly hall
• sabhām: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sannādayan: making resound
• sannādayan: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + nad (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सन्नादयन्’ = making resound

• sarvām: entire
• sarvām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (sabhām)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• mahābalaḥ: very strong
• mahābalaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘महद् बलं यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• jagatsantāpanaḥ: tormentor of the world
• jagatsantāpanaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jagat + santāpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘जगतः सन्तापनः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• krūraḥ: cruel
• krūraḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• garhayan: rebuking
• garhayan: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: garh (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘गर्हयन्’ = censuring

• rākṣaseśvaraḥ: lord of the Rakshasas
• rākṣaseśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Thereafter the mighty Lord of Rakshasas, a cruel one, a scourge of the world addressed the assembly of his ministers and spoke abusing them.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Assembly (sabhā)

FAQs

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

Leadership dharma requires self-restraint and fair counsel; harsh blame and cruelty signal adharma and destabilize righteous governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa convenes and addresses his ministers in the court, speaking loudly and reproachfully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through negative portrayal), the verse highlights the need for kṣamā (forbearance) and measured speech in rulers.