Shloka 16

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhishana’s Counsel to Ravana

Devanagari script

नतुक्षमंवीर्यवतातेनधर्मानुवर्तिना ।वैरंनिरर्थकंकर्तुंदीयतामस्यमैथिली ।।।।

Transliteration

na tu kṣamaṃ vīryavatā tena dharmānuvartinā | vairaṃ nirarthakaṃ kartuṃ dīyatām asya maithilī ||

Translation

Không xứng đáng để gây giữ mối thù vô ích với bậc dũng mãnh ấy, người luôn thuận theo dharma; hãy trao trả Maithilī cho ngài.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• tu: but, however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (but/however)

• kṣamam: proper, acceptable
• kṣamam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• vīryavatā: by/with the valorous one
• vīryavatā: Sahakārī/Hetu (सहकारी/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīryavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental of association/agent-description

• tena: by him
• tena: Karaṇa/Agent (करण/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• dharma-anuvartinā: by the follower of dharma
• dharma-anuvartinā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + anuvartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (dharmam anuvartate iti); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• vairam: enmity
• vairam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nirarthakam: useless, pointless
• nirarthakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirarthaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with वैरम्)

• kartum: to make
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), ‘to do/make’

• dīyatām: let (her) be given
• dīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let (her) be given’

• asya: to him, for him
• asya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• maithilī: Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"To have enmity with a valorous one, a follower of dharma, is useless and not good for us. Give away Mythili to him (Rama)."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (implied)
• Maithilī (Sītā)

FAQs

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

Do not persist in unjust hostility; dharma prefers reconciliation through returning what was wrongly taken, especially when the opponent is righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Counsel in Laṅkā urges Rāvaṇa to end the conflict by giving Sītā back to Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in righteousness) is cited as a reason not to wage futile enmity.