Shloka 20

राक्षसपरिषद्वाक्यम्

Counsel of the Rakshasa Court to Ravana

Devanagari script

तिष्ठवाकिंमहाराजश्रमे णतववानरान् ।अयमेकोमहाबाहुरिन्द्रजित्क्षपयिष्यति ।।।।

Transliteration

tiṣṭha vā kiṃ mahārāja śrameṇa tava vānarān | ayam eko mahābāhur indrajit kṣapayiṣyati ||

Translation

且住，伟大的君王——何必亲自劳顿去对付那些猴族之敌？这位臂力无双的因陀罗吉特一人便足以歼灭他们。

Word by Word

• तिष्ठ: stay/stand
• तिष्ठ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाक्: O speaker!/O (one who speaks)!
• वाक्: सम्बोधन (Address/Exclamation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as संबोधन/उद्गार (interjectional address)

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: सम्बोधन (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• श्रमेण: by exertion
• श्रमेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वानरान्: monkeys
• वानरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: कर्तृ (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: alone
• एकः: कर्तृ (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of अयम्/इन्द्रजित्

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: कर्तृ (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + बाहु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि meaning 'one who has great arms'

• इन्द्रजित्: Indrajit
• इन्द्रजित्: कर्तृ (Kartṛ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षपयिष्यति: will destroy/exhaust
• क्षपयिष्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षपय् (धातु, causative of क्षि/क्षय्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

"Oh! great king, you stay here calmly. Why exert yourself? This strong armed Indrajith alone can destroy those Vanaras."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Indrajit
• Vānara army

FAQs

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

It raises the dharmic issue of counsel: advising a ruler should be grounded in truth and long-term good, not in overconfidence that blinds one to the righteous opponent.

What is the narrative situation?

A minister reassures Rāvaṇa that Indrajit alone can finish the Vānara forces, urging the king not to exert himself.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliance on a champion’s strength (Indrajit’s prowess) is emphasized—though the epic later critiques misplaced reliance when dharma is opposed.