Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 19

विभीषणोपदेशः

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Counsel to Rāvaṇa and the Rākṣasa Court

Devanagari script

यावद्धिकेशग्रहणातसुहृद्भि: समेत्यसर्वैःपरिपूर्णकामैः ।निगृह्यराजापरिरक्षितव्योभूतैर्यथाभीमबलैर्गृहीतः ।।।।

Transliteration

yāvad dhi keśa-grahaṇāt suhṛdbhiḥ sametya sarvaiḥ paripūrṇa-kāmaiḥ | nigṛhya rājā parirakṣitavyo bhūtair yathā bhīma-balair gṛhītaḥ ||

Translation

只要需要——哪怕揪住他的头发——愿他所有怀善意的挚友齐来相聚，满怀护持之心，制止并守护国王，如同救出被可怖而强大的鬼神攫住之人。

Word by Word

• यावत्: as far as; up to the point that
• यावत्: अव्यय-सम्बन्धः (extent/limit marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशक (limit/extent marker: 'as far as/so long as')

• द्धि: indeed; surely
• द्धि: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय) → धि/द्धि (सन्ध्यन्तरूप)
• Form: निपातः (particle); अवधारण/हेतु-भाव (emphasis/indeed)

• केशग्रहणात्: from (even) seizing by the hair
• केशग्रहणात्: अपादान (source/starting point: 'from the act of seizing hair')
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक) (केशस्य ग्रहणम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (ablative singular) — 'केशग्रहण' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• सुहृद्भिः: by friends
• सुहृद्भिः: करण (agent-instrument: 'by/with friends')
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural)

• समेत्य: having assembled; having come together
• समेत्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + इ (धातु) → समेत्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having come together)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: करण (with all [friends])
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying सुहृद्भिः)

• परिपूर्णकामैः: by those whose desires are fulfilled
• परिपूर्णकामैः: करण (by friends whose wishes are fulfilled)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + पूर्ण (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) (कामाः परिपूर्णाः येषाम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural); बहुव्रीहिः—'whose desires are fulfilled' (qualifying सुहृद्भिः)

• निगृह्य: having subdued; having seized by force
• निगृह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + ग्रह् (धातु) → निगृह्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having restrained/seized)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: कर्तृ (grammatical subject of 'परिरक्षितव्यः')
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (nominative singular)

• परिरक्षितव्यः: must be protected; is to be guarded
• परिरक्षितव्यः: विधेय (necessity/obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + रक्ष् (धातु) → परिरक्षितव्य (तव्यत्-कृदन्त; gerundive)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त-कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be protected'); पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective of राजा)

• भूतैः: by demons; by beings
• भूतैः: करण (by beings/demons)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural)

• यथा: just as; as if
• यथा: उपमान-सम्बन्ध (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमान/प्रकार-वाचक (comparative: 'just as')

• भीमबलैः: by those of dreadful strength
• भीमबलैः: करण (by terribly strong [demons])
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) (भीमं बलं येषाम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम् (instrumental plural); बहुव्रीहिः—'of terrible strength' (qualifying भूतैः)

• गृहीतः: seized; captured
• गृहीतः: विधेय (state/result predicate: 'having been seized')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत (क्त-प्रत्यय; past passive participle)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-कृदन्त (PPP: 'seized'); पुंलिङ्गम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective of राजा; implied 'राजा ... गृहीतः')

Context

"The king will have to be protected by all friends joined together whose wishes have been gratified even by catching him by his hair forcibly just as a man surrounded by a devil of terrific strength is pulled out by his hair."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (implied as 'the king')

FAQs

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

When a leader is self-destructive, dharma may require firm restraint for protection—compassion expressed through corrective action, not flattery.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker urges collective action by the king’s circle to physically and politically restrain him from a ruinous course.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyalty as guardianship: genuine friendship prevents harm even through unpleasant measures.