Ravana's Rebuke and Vibhishana's Farewell

Shloka 1 (yuddha.16.1)

सुनिविष्टं हितं वाक्यमुक्तवन्तं विभीषणम्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं रावणः कालचोदितः ॥ 16.1 ॥

suniviṣṭaṃ hitaṃ vākyamuktavantaṃ vibhīṣaṇam| abravīt paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ rāvaṇaḥ kālacoditaḥ || 16.1 ||

Ravana, driven on by death, spoke harsh words to Vibhishana, who had spoken firm and wholesome counsel.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.16.2)

वसेत् सह सपत्नेन क्रुद्धेनाशीविषेण च। न तु मित्रप्रवादेन संवसेच्छत्रुसेविना ॥ 16.2 ॥

vaset saha sapatnena kruddhenāśīviṣeṇa ca| na tu mitrapravādena saṃvasecchatrusevinā || 16.2 ||

“One may live with a rival, or even with an enraged, venomous serpent, but never with an enemy who dwells among us while merely posing as a friend.”

Shloka 3 (yuddha.16.3)

जानामि शीलं ज्ञातीनां सर्वलोकेषु राक्षस। हृष्यन्ति व्यसनेष्वेते ज्ञातीनां ज्ञातयः सदा ॥ 16.3 ॥

jānāmi śīlaṃ jñātīnāṃ sarvalokeṣu rākṣasa| hṛṣyanti vyasaneṣvete jñātīnāṃ jñātayaḥ sadā || 16.3 ||

“O demon, I know well the nature of kinsmen in every world - kinsmen ever rejoice at the misfortunes of their own kin.”

Shloka 4 (yuddha.16.4)

प्रधानं साधकं वैद्यं धर्मशीलं च राक्षस। ज्ञातयोऽप्यवमन्यन्ते शूरं परिभवन्ति च ॥ 16.4 ॥

pradhānaṃ sādhakaṃ vaidyaṃ dharmaśīlaṃ ca rākṣasa| jñātayo'pyavamanyante śūraṃ paribhavanti ca || 16.4 ||

“O demon, kinsmen despise and humiliate even one of their own who is capable, accomplished, righteous, and valiant.”

Shloka 5 (yuddha.16.5)

नित्यमन्योन्यसंहृष्टा व्यसनेष्वाततायिनः। प्रच्छन्नहृदया घोरा ज्ञातयस्तु भयावहाः ॥ 16.5 ॥

nityamanyonyasaṃhṛṣṭā vyasaneṣvātatāyinaḥ| pracchannahṛdayā ghorā jñātayastu bhayāvahāḥ || 16.5 ||

“Kinsmen forever delight in one another's misfortunes; murderous, secretive of heart and terrible as they are, it is kinsmen who are truly to be feared.”

Shloka 6 (yuddha.16.6)

श्रूयन्ते हस्तिभिर्गीताः श्लोकाः पद्मवने पुरा। पाशहस्तान् नरान् दृष्ट्वा शृणुष्व गदतो मम ॥ 16.6 ॥

śrūyante hastibhirgītāḥ ślokāḥ padmavane purā| pāśahastān narān dṛṣṭvā śṛṇuṣva gadato mama || 16.6 ||

“It is told that long ago, in the Lotus Forest, elephants who saw hunters approaching with nooses in hand sang certain verses - listen, as I recite them to you.”

Shloka 7 (yuddha.16.7)

नाग्निर्नान्यानि शस्त्राणि न नः पाशा भयावहाः। घोराः स्वार्थप्रयुक्तास्तु ज्ञातयो नो भयावहाः ॥ 16.7 ॥

nāgnirnānyāni śastrāṇi na naḥ pāśā bhayāvahāḥ| ghorāḥ svārthaprayuktāstu jñātayo no bhayāvahāḥ || 16.7 ||

“‘Neither fire, nor any other weapon, nor the nooses themselves frighten us; it is our own terrible kinsmen, driven by self-interest, who truly frighten us.’”

Shloka 8 (yuddha.16.8)

उपायमेते वक्ष्यन्ति ग्रहणे नात्र संशयः। कृत्स्नाद् भयाज्ज्ञातिभयं कुकष्टं विहितं च नः ॥ 16.8 ॥

upāyamete vakṣyanti grahaṇe nātra saṃśayaḥ| kṛtsnād bhayājjñātibhayaṃ kukaṣṭaṃ vihitaṃ ca naḥ || 16.8 ||

“‘These kinsmen will surely reveal the means of our capture - of that there is no doubt. Of all fears, the fear of kinsmen is known to us as the most painful.’”

Shloka 9 (yuddha.16.9)

विद्यते गोषु सम्पन्नं विद्यते ज्ञातितो भयम्। विद्यते स्त्रीषु चापल्यं विद्यते ब्राह्मणे तपः ॥ 16.9 ॥

vidyate goṣu sampannaṃ vidyate jñātito bhayam| vidyate strīṣu cāpalyaṃ vidyate brāhmaṇe tapaḥ || 16.9 ||

“‘Wealth exists in cattle; danger exists in kinsmen; fickleness exists in women; austerity exists in the Brahmin.’”

Shloka 10 (yuddha.16.10)

ततो नेष्टमिदं सौम्य यदहं लोकसत्कृतः। ऐश्वर्यमभिजातश्च रिपूणां मूर्ध्नि च स्थितः ॥ 16.10 ॥

tato neṣṭamidaṃ saumya yadahaṃ lokasatkṛtaḥ| aiśvaryamabhijātaśca ripūṇāṃ mūrdhni ca sthitaḥ || 16.10 ||

So it is, gentle one, that you take no pleasure in my being honored by the world, in the sovereignty I was born to, and in my standing upon the very heads of my enemies.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.16.11)

यथा पुष्करपत्रेषु पतितास्तोयबिन्दवः। न श्लेषमभिगच्छन्ति तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ॥ 16.11 ॥

yathā puṣkarapatreṣu patitāstoyabindavaḥ| na śleṣamabhigacchanti tathānāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 16.11 ||

As drops of water fallen upon a lotus leaf never cling to it, so friendship never clings to the base-hearted.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.16.12)

यथा शरदि मेघानां सिञ्चतामपि गर्जताम्। न भवत्यम्बुसंक्लेदस्तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ॥ 16.12 ॥

yathā śaradi meghānāṃ siñcatāmapi garjatām| na bhavatyambusaṃkledastathānāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 16.12 ||

As autumn clouds, for all their thunder and sprinkling, leave the earth without any real wetness, so friendship with the base-hearted brings no true depth.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.16.13)

यथा मधुकरस्तर्षाद् रसं विन्दन्न तिष्ठति। तथा त्वमपि तत्रैव तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ॥ 16.13 ॥

yathā madhukarastarṣād rasaṃ vindanna tiṣṭhati| tathā tvamapi tatraiva tathānāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 16.13 ||

As the honeybee, for all its craving, does not linger once it has tasted the nectar, so it is exactly there that you too may see it: friendship never holds among the base-hearted.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.16.14)

यथा मधुकरस्तर्षात् काशपुष्पं पिबन्नपि। रसमत्र न विन्देत तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ॥ 16.14 ॥

yathā madhukarastarṣāt kāśapuṣpaṃ pibannapi| rasamatra na vindeta tathānāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 16.14 ||

As a bee, however eagerly it drinks at a kasha-flower, finds no nectar there at all, so friendship finds nothing among the base-hearted.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.16.15)

यथा पूर्वं गजः स्नात्वा गृह्य हस्तेन वै रजः। दूषयत्यात्मनो देहं तथानार्येषु सौहृदम् ॥ 16.15 ॥

yathā pūrvaṃ gajaḥ snātvā gṛhya hastena vai rajaḥ| dūṣayatyātmano dehaṃ tathānāryeṣu sauhṛdam || 16.15 ||

As an elephant, having first bathed, then takes up dust in its trunk and soils its own body once more, so does friendship come to grief among the base-hearted.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.16.16)

योऽन्यस्त्वेवंविधं ब्रूयाद् वाक्यमेतन्निशाचर। अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते न भवेत् त्वां तु धिक् कुलपांसन ॥ 16.16 ॥

yo'nyastvevaṃvidhaṃ brūyād vākyametanniśācara| asmin muhūrte na bhavet tvāṃ tu dhik kulapāṃsana || 16.16 ||

“O night-wanderer, had anyone else spoken such words to me, he would not survive this very moment - but shame on you, disgrace of our race!”

Shloka 17 (yuddha.16.17)

इत्युक्तः परुषं वाक्यं न्यायवादी विभीषणः। उत्पपात गदापाणिश्चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः ॥ 16.17 ॥

ityuktaḥ paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ nyāyavādī vibhīṣaṇaḥ| utpapāta gadāpāṇiścaturbhiḥ saha rākṣasaiḥ || 16.17 ||

Addressed with such harsh words, Vibhishana, the speaker of what was just, rose up mace in hand, together with four rakshasas.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.16.18)

अब्रवीच्च तदा वाक्यं जातक्रोधो विभीषणः। अन्तरिक्षगतः श्रीमान् भ्राता वै राक्षसाधिपम् ॥ 16.18 ॥

abravīcca tadā vākyaṃ jātakrodho vibhīṣaṇaḥ| antarikṣagataḥ śrīmān bhrātā vai rākṣasādhipam || 16.18 ||

Then, having risen into the sky, the glorious Vibhishana, his anger now roused, spoke these words to his brother, the lord of the rakshasas.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.16.19)

स त्वं भ्रातासि मे राजन् ब्रूहि मां यद्यदिच्छसि। ज्येष्ठो मान्यः पितृसमो न च धर्मपथे स्थितः। इदं तु परुषं वाक्यं न क्षमाम्यनृतं तव ॥ 16.19 ॥

sa tvaṃ bhrātāsi me rājan brūhi māṃ yadyadicchasi| jyeṣṭho mānyaḥ pitṛsamo na ca dharmapathe sthitaḥ| idaṃ tu paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ na kṣamāmyanṛtaṃ tava || 16.19 ||

“You are indeed my brother, O king - say to me whatever you wish. An elder brother is to be honored, equal to a father, even when he does not stand upon the path of righteousness. Yet these harsh, unjust words of yours I cannot forgive.”

Shloka 20 (yuddha.16.20)

सुनीतं हितकामेन वाक्यमुक्तं दशानन। न गृह्णन्त्यकृतात्मानः कालस्य वशमागताः ॥ 16.20 ॥

sunītaṃ hitakāmena vākyamuktaṃ daśānana| na gṛhṇantyakṛtātmānaḥ kālasya vaśamāgatāḥ || 16.20 ||

“O Dashanana, wholesome counsel spoken by one who desires your good is not accepted by those of undisciplined mind who have fallen under the sway of death.”

Shloka 21 (yuddha.16.21)

सुलभाः पुरुषा राजन् सततं प्रियवादिनः। अप्रियस्य च पथ्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभः ॥ 16.21 ॥

sulabhāḥ puruṣā rājan satataṃ priyavādinaḥ| apriyasya ca pathyasya vaktā śrotā ca durlabhaḥ || 16.21 ||

“O king, men who forever speak pleasant words are easily found, but rare indeed is the speaker - and rarer still the listener - of unpleasant yet wholesome words.”

Shloka 22 (yuddha.16.22)

बद्धं कालस्य पाशेन सर्वभूतापहारिणः। न नश्यन्तमुपेक्षे त्वां प्रदीप्तं शरणं यथा ॥ 16.22 ॥

baddhaṃ kālasya pāśena sarvabhūtāpahāriṇaḥ| na naśyantamupekṣe tvāṃ pradīptaṃ śaraṇaṃ yathā || 16.22 ||

“Bound in the noose of Time, which carries off all beings, I cannot stand by and watch you perish, any more than one could ignore a house ablaze.”

Shloka 23 (yuddha.16.23)

दीप्तपावकसंकाशैः शितैः काञ्चनभूषणैः। न त्वामिच्छाम्यहं द्रष्टुं रामेण निहतं शरैः ॥ 16.23 ॥

dīptapāvakasaṃkāśaiḥ śitaiḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇaiḥ| na tvāmicchāmyahaṃ draṣṭuṃ rāmeṇa nihataṃ śaraiḥ || 16.23 ||

“I do not wish to see you slain by Rama's arrows - sharp shafts adorned with gold, each blazing like fire.”

Shloka 24 (yuddha.16.24)

शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्राश्च नरा रणे। कालाभिपन्नाः सीदन्ति यथा वालुकसेतवः ॥ 16.24 ॥

śūrāśca balavantaśca kṛtāstrāśca narā raṇe| kālābhipannāḥ sīdanti yathā vālukasetavaḥ || 16.24 ||

“Even brave, mighty men skilled in arms, when overtaken by Time in battle, crumble away like a bridge built of sand.”

Shloka 25 (yuddha.16.25)

तन्मर्षयतु यच्चोक्तं गुरुत्वाद्धितमिच्छता। आत्मानं सर्वथा रक्ष पुरीं चेमां सराक्षसाम्। स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि सुखी भव मया विना ॥ 16.25 ॥

tanmarṣayatu yaccoktaṃ gurutvāddhitamicchatā| ātmānaṃ sarvathā rakṣa purīṃ cemāṃ sarākṣasām| svasti te'stu gamiṣyāmi sukhī bhava mayā vinā || 16.25 ||

“Forgive, then, what I have said out of the standing of an elder and out of desire for your good. Guard yourself and this city with all its rakshasas by every means. May all be well with you - I am going now. Be happy, without me.”

Shloka 26 (yuddha.16.26)

निवार्यमाणस्य मया हितैषिणा न रोचते ते वचनं निशाचर। परान्तकाले हि गतायुषो नरा हितं न गृह्णन्ति सुहृद्भिरीरितम् ॥ 16.26 ॥

nivāryamāṇasya mayā hitaiṣiṇā na rocate te vacanaṃ niśācara| parāntakāle hi gatāyuṣo narā hitaṃ na gṛhṇanti suhṛdbhirīritam || 16.26 ||

O night-wanderer, my words - though spoken by one who wishes you well and seeks only to restrain you - find no favor with you. For when a man's life draws to its final end, he no longer accepts the wholesome counsel spoken by those who love him.