Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 6, Shloka 12

रावणस्य मन्त्रविचारः

Ravana’s Council on Strategy

Devanagari script

ऐकमत्यमुपागम्यशास्त्रदृष्टेनचक्षुषा ।।6.6.12।।मन्त्रिणोयत्रनिरतास्तमाहुर्मन्त्रमुत्तमम् ।

Transliteration

aikamatyam upāgamya śāstradṛṣṭena cakṣuṣā |

mantriṇo yatra niratās tam āhur mantram uttamam ||6.6.12||

Translation

Lời mưu nghị được gọi là tối thượng, khi các đại thần cùng hội tụ một lòng, lấy con mắt của śāstra mà soi xét, rồi kiên định chuyên chú nơi ấy.

Word by Word

• aikamatyam: unanimity; one opinion
• aikamatyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + matya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (एकं मत्यम्/एकमतिः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• upāgamya: having come together
• upāgamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु) + upa + ā + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/ल्यप्), पूर्वकाल (having approached/come together)

• śāstradṛṣṭena: guided by scripture
• śāstradṛṣṭena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra + dṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शास्त्रेण दृष्टः/शास्त्रदृष्ट), नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (here instrumental singular agreeing with cakṣuṣā: actually cakṣuṣā is neuter; śāstradṛṣṭena is नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण)

• cakṣuṣā: with (their) insight/eye
• cakṣuṣā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• mantriṇaḥ: ministers
• mantriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• yatra: where/when
• yatra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where/when)

• niratāḥ: engaged; devoted
• niratāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + ratā (रम्/रति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to mantriṇaḥ)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• āhuḥ: said; declared
• āhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (अह्/आह् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• mantram: counsel; plan
• mantram: Karma (कर्म; apposition to tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• uttamam: best
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to mantram)

Context

"When all ministers are unanimous and come to one conclusion based on sastras, and having come together remain firm, such counsel is said to be the best."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
• śāstra

FAQs

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

Dharma in statecraft is collective, śāstra-informed deliberation leading to unified action. Satya here is ‘seeing with śāstra’—testing opinions against enduring ethical and practical standards.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa defines what constitutes ‘best counsel’ for ministers while addressing his court after Hanumān’s disruption.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsible governance: consensus grounded in principled knowledge rather than impulse.