Shloka 36
महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः
Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault
अदृष्टसैन्योह्यनवाप्तसंशयोरिपूनयुद्धेनजयन् जनाधिप ।यशश्चपुण्यं च महन्महीपतेश्रशियं च कीर्तिं च चिरं ।।।।
adṛṣṭasainyo hyanavāptasaṁśayo ripūn ayuddhena jayan janādhipa |
yaśaś ca puṇyaṁ ca mahan mahīpateḥ śriyaṁ ca kīrtiṁ ca ciram ||
Ôi bậc chúa tể muôn dân! Vị vua thắng kẻ thù mà quân không hề tổn hại, không gặp hiểm nguy, lại chẳng cần giao chiến—đấng đại địa vương ấy được đại danh tiếng và công đức thù thắng, hưởng phúc thịnh vượng cùng tiếng thơm bền lâu.
"O Lord of the people! If a king conquers his enemy without any loss of army, without facing any dangerand without war, such a mighty ruler of the earth will indeed earn fame and merit and attain prosperity."।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēcatuṣṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ।।This is the end of the sixty fourth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
It upholds rāja-dharma: a ruler should seek victory with minimum violence and risk, protecting his people and army; true greatness is measured by restraint and welfare, not by needless bloodshed.
By valuing outcomes achieved without deceitful or destructive conflict, it implies that a king’s glory should rest on transparent, responsible action aligned with truth and public good, leading to enduring kīrti (reputation).