Ravana Convenes His Council

Shloka 1 (yuddha.6.1)

लङ्कायां तु कृतं कर्म घोरं दृष्ट्वा भयावहम् । राक्षसेन्द्रो हनुमता शक्रेणेव महात्मना । अब्रवीद् राक्षसान् सर्वान् ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः ॥ 6.1 ॥

laṅkāyāṃ tu kṛtaṃ karma ghoraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayāvaham | rākṣasendro hanumatā śakreṇeva mahātmanā | abravīd rākṣasān sarvān hriyā kiṃcidavāṅmukhaḥ || 6.1 ||

Having seen the terrible and dreadful deed done in Lanka by Hanuman — the great one, as though he were Indra himself — the lord of the rakshasas, his face a little downcast with shame, spoke to all the rakshasas.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.6.2)

धर्षिता च प्रविष्टा च लङ्का दुष्प्रसहा पुरी । तेन वानरमात्रेण दृष्टा सीता च जानकी ॥ 6.2 ॥

dharṣitā ca praviṣṭā ca laṅkā duṣprasahā purī | tena vānaramātreṇa dṛṣṭā sītā ca jānakī || 6.2 ||

By that mere monkey, the unassailable city of Lanka was breached and entered, and Sita, the daughter of Janaka, was found.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.6.3)

प्रासादो धर्षितश्चैत्यः प्रवरा राक्षसा हताः । आविला च पुरी लङ्का सर्वा हनुमता कृता ॥ 6.3 ॥

prāsādo dharṣitaścaityaḥ pravarā rākṣasā hatāḥ | āvilā ca purī laṅkā sarvā hanumatā kṛtā || 6.3 ||

The great shrine-palace was assaulted, our finest rakshasas were slain, and the whole city of Lanka was thrown into turmoil by Hanuman.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.6.4)

किं करिष्यामि भद्रं वः किं वो युक्तमनन्तरम् । उच्यतां नः समर्थं यत् कृतं च सुकृतं भवेत् ॥ 6.4 ॥

kiṃ kariṣyāmi bhadraṃ vaḥ kiṃ vo yuktamanantaram | ucyatāṃ naḥ samarthaṃ yat kṛtaṃ ca sukṛtaṃ bhavet || 6.4 ||

May good fortune attend you! What should I do? What is fitting to be done next? Tell me that which is truly effective, and which, once done, will prove well done.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.6.5)

मन्त्रमूलं च विजयं प्रवदन्ति मनस्विनः । तस्माद् वै रोचये मन्त्रं रामं प्रति महाबलाः ॥ 6.5 ॥

mantramūlaṃ ca vijayaṃ pravadanti manasvinaḥ | tasmād vai rocaye mantraṃ rāmaṃ prati mahābalāḥ || 6.5 ||

The wise say that victory is rooted in counsel. Therefore, O mighty ones, it is counsel concerning Rama that I desire.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.6.6)

त्रिविधाः पुरुषा लोके उत्तमाधममध्यमाः । तेषां तु समवेतानां गुणदोषौ वदाम्यहम् ॥ 6.6 ॥

trividhāḥ puruṣā loke uttamādhamamadhyamāḥ | teṣāṃ tu samavetānāṃ guṇadoṣau vadāmyaham || 6.6 ||

In this world there are three kinds of men — the best, the middling, and the worst. Let me tell you the merits and faults of each, taken together.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.6.7)

मन्त्रस्त्रिभिर्हि संयुक्तः समर्थैर्मन्त्रनिर्णये । मित्रैर्वापि समानार्थैर्बान्धवैरपि वाधिकैः ॥ 6.7 ॥

mantrastribhirhi saṃyuktaḥ samarthairmantranirṇaye | mitrairvāpi samānārthairbāndhavairapi vādhikaiḥ || 6.7 ||

He who joins with counselors capable of resolving counsel, or with friends of like purpose, or additionally with kinsmen,

Shloka 8 (yuddha.6.8)

सहितो मन्त्रयित्वा यः कर्मारम्भान् प्रवर्तयेत् । दैवे च कुरुते यत्नं तमाहुः पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥ 6.8 ॥

sahito mantrayitvā yaḥ karmārambhān pravartayet | daive ca kurute yatnaṃ tamāhuḥ puruṣottamam || 6.8 ||

and who, having so taken counsel, sets undertakings in motion, and also makes effort in the matter of providence — him they call the foremost among men.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.6.9)

एकोऽर्थं विमृशेदेको धर्मे प्रकुरुते मनः । एकः कार्याणि कुरुते तमाहुर्मध्यमं नरम् ॥ 6.9 ॥

eko'rthaṃ vimṛśedeko dharme prakurute manaḥ | ekaḥ kāryāṇi kurute tamāhurmadhyamaṃ naram || 6.9 ||

He who deliberates on a matter alone, applies his mind to duty alone, and carries out tasks alone — him they call a middling man.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.6.10)

गुणदोषौ न निश्चित्य त्यक्त्वा दैवव्यपाश्रयम् । करिष्यामीति यः कार्यमुपेक्षेत् स नराधमः ॥ 6.10 ॥

guṇadoṣau na niścitya tyaktvā daivavyapāśrayam | kariṣyāmīti yaḥ kāryamupekṣet sa narādhamaḥ || 6.10 ||

He who, without first determining its merits and faults, sets aside reliance on providence, and merely saying 'I shall do it,' neglects the task — he is the lowest of men.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.6.11)

यथेमे पुरुषा नित्यमुत्तमाधममध्यमाः । एवं मन्त्रोऽपि विज्ञेय उत्तमाधममध्यमः ॥ 6.11 ॥

yatheme puruṣā nityamuttamādhamamadhyamāḥ | evaṃ mantro'pi vijñeya uttamādhamamadhyamaḥ || 6.11 ||

Just as men are always of these three kinds — best, worst, and middling — so too should counsel itself be understood as best, worst, or middling.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.6.12)

ऐकमत्यमुपागम्य शास्त्रदृष्टेन चक्षुषा । मन्त्रिणो यत्र निरतास्तमाहुर्मन्त्रमुत्तमम् ॥ 6.12 ॥

aikamatyamupāgamya śāstradṛṣṭena cakṣuṣā | mantriṇo yatra niratāstamāhurmantramuttamam || 6.12 ||

That counsel in which the counselors, viewing the matter through the eye of scripture, arrive at consensus and rest content in it — that is called the best counsel.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.6.13)

बह्वीरपि मतीर्गत्वा मन्त्रिणामर्थनिर्णयः । पुनर्यत्रैकतां प्राप्तः स मन्त्रो मध्यमः स्मृतः ॥ 6.13 ॥

bahvīrapi matīrgatvā mantriṇāmarthanirṇayaḥ | punaryatraikatāṃ prāptaḥ sa mantro madhyamaḥ smṛtaḥ || 6.13 ||

That counsel in which the counselors' decision, after passing through many differing opinions, finally arrives again at unity — that is remembered as middling counsel.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.6.14)

अन्योन्यमतिमास्थाय यत्र सम्प्रतिभाष्यते । न चैकमत्ये श्रेयोऽस्ति मन्त्रः सोऽधम उच्यते ॥ 6.14 ॥

anyonyamatimāsthāya yatra sampratibhāṣyate | na caikamatye śreyo'sti mantraḥ so'dhama ucyate || 6.14 ||

That counsel in which men, each clinging to his own opinion, only argue back and forth, and in which there is no benefit even after reaching agreement — that is called the worst counsel.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.6.15)

तस्मात् सुमन्त्रितं साधु भवन्तो मतिसत्तमाः । कार्यं सम्प्रतिपद्यन्तमेतत् कृत्यं मतं मम ॥ 6.15 ॥

tasmāt sumantritaṃ sādhu bhavanto matisattamāḥ | kāryaṃ sampratipadyantametat kṛtyaṃ mataṃ mama || 6.15 ||

Therefore, O you of excellent judgment, arrive at a rightful course through good counsel — this, in my view, is what must be done.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.6.16)

वानराणां हि धीराणां सहस्रैः परिवारितः । रामोऽभ्येति पुरीं लङ्कामस्माकमुपरोधकः ॥ 6.16 ॥

vānarāṇāṃ hi dhīrāṇāṃ sahasraiḥ parivāritaḥ | rāmo'bhyeti purīṃ laṅkāmasmākamuparodhakaḥ || 6.16 ||

Surrounded by thousands of valiant monkeys, Rama is approaching this city of Lanka to besiege us.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.6.17)

तरिष्यति च सुव्यक्तं राघवः सागरं सुखम् । तरसा युक्तरूपेण सानुजः सबलानुगः ॥ 6.17 ॥

tariṣyati ca suvyaktaṃ rāghavaḥ sāgaraṃ sukham | tarasā yuktarūpeṇa sānujaḥ sabalānugaḥ || 6.17 ||

Together with his younger brother and his army, Raghava, endowed with fitting speed, will surely cross the ocean with ease.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.6.18)

समुद्रमुच्छोषयति वीर्येणान्यत्करोति वा ॥ 6.18 ॥

samudramucchoṣayati vīryeṇānyatkaroti vā || 6.18 ||

By his valor he might even dry up the ocean, or do something else besides.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.6.19)

तस्मिन्नेवंविधे कार्ये विरुद्धे वानरैः सह । हितं पुरे च सैन्ये च सर्वं सम्मन्त्र्यतां मम ॥ 6.19 ॥

tasminnevaṃvidhe kārye viruddhe vānaraiḥ saha | hitaṃ pure ca sainye ca sarvaṃ sammantryatāṃ mama || 6.19 ||

Now that this matter of enmity with the monkeys has arisen in this way, let everything be counselled to me that is beneficial for the city and for the army.