Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 10

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

प्रहस्त: राजाचमहोदरश्चत्वंकुम्भकर्णश्चयथाऽर्थजातम् ।ब्रवीतरामंप्रतितन्नशक्यंयथागतिस्स्वर्गमधर्मबुद्धेः ।।।।

Transliteration

prahastaḥ rājā ca mahodaraś ca tvaṃ kumbhakarṇaś ca yathārtha-jātam |

bravīta rāmaṃ prati tan na śakyaṃ yathā gatiḥ svargam adharma-buddheḥ ||

Translation

普罗诃斯塔、国王、摩诃陀罗、你以及俱婆迦尔那——你们无论谋划何事来对抗罗摩，都不可能成就；正如心怀不义者，终不能得达天界。

Word by Word

• prahastaḥ: Prahastha
• prahastaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prahasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction: 'and')

• mahodaraḥ: Mahodara
• mahodaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahodara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana

• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Kumbhakarna
• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbhakarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• yathā: as / just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā/Prakāra-avyaya (adverb: 'as, just as')

• arthajātam: the intended plan / purpose formed
• arthajātam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha + jāta (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa sense: 'of the matter' + 'arisen/formed' = 'intention/plan'

• bravīta: said / spoke
• bravīta: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म/Object) (with prati: 'towards/against')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• prati: against / towards
• prati: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: Upasarga/Preposition-like avyaya (direction/opposition: 'towards, against')

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/thing-referred)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc) Ekavacana; here predicate-noun with śakyaṃ: 'that (is) possible'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta (particle of negation)

• śakyam: possible
• śakyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: Kṛtya-pratyaya (potential adjective, -ya), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; predicate: 'possible'

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (correlative: 'just as')

• gatiḥ: attainment / going
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (in simile-clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā, Ekavacana

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma (कर्म/goal-object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• adharmabuddheḥ: of the unrighteous-minded person
• adharmabuddheḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana; Karmadhāraya-like internal sense 'unrighteous intellect' used as tatpuruṣa; genitive of possessor: 'of one whose mind is unrighteous'

Context

"That which you intend to accomplish against Rama is not possible either for you or the king and even for Kumbhakarna and Mahodara, just as heaven is not obtained by the unrighteous people," said Vibheeshana.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Prahastha
• Rāvaṇa
• Mahodara
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as the condition for true success: unrighteous intent cannot yield the highest goal (svarga), and similarly adharma-driven aggression cannot defeat a dharmic hero like Rāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa counters the warlike boasting in Rāvaṇa’s court, warning that plans to oppose Rāma are futile when rooted in unrighteousness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and principled counsel: Vibhīṣaṇa speaks plainly, valuing dharma over factional loyalty.