न रावणो नातिबलस्त्रिशीर्षो न कुम्भकर्णस्य सुतो निकुम्भः। न चेन्द्रजिद् दाशरथिं प्रवोढुं त्वं वा रणे शक्रसमं समर्थः
Neither Ravana, nor the exceedingly strong Trishira, nor Nikumbha, son of Kumbhakarna, nor Indrajit, nor you, Prahasta, are capable of defeating the son of Dasharatha in battle, even if you were equal to Indra.
देवान्तको वापि नरान्तको वा तथातिकायोऽतिरथो महात्मा। अकम्पनश्चाद्रिसमानसारः स्थातुं न शक्ता युधि राघवस्य
Neither Devantaka nor Narantaka, nor Atikaya, the mighty chariot-warrior, nor Akampana, whose strength equals a mountain, are able to stand against Raghava in battle.
अयं च राजा व्यसनाभिभूतो मित्रैरमित्रप्रतिमैर्भवद्भिः। अन्वास्यते राक्षसनाशनार्थे तीक्ष्णः प्रकृत्या ह्यसमीक्षकारी
This king, overwhelmed by calamity, is followed by you, his friends who are like enemies, seeking the destruction of the rakshasas; by nature he is harsh and acts without reflection.
अनन्तभोगेन सहस्रमूर्ध्ना नागेन भीमेन महाबलेन। बलात् परिक्षिप्तमिमं भवन्तो राजानमुत्क्षिप्य विमोचयन्तु
Let you all, having surrounded this king, who is beset by the mighty serpent with endless coils and a thousand heads, release him by force from its grasp.
यावद्धि केशग्रहणात् सुहृद्भिः समेत्य सर्वैः परिपूर्णकामैः। निगृह्य राजा परिरक्षितव्यो भूतैर्यथा भीमबलैर्गृहीतः
Before, by seizing his hair, all his friends, their desires fulfilled, come together and restrain the king, he must be protected, as beings of terrible strength guard one who is seized.
सुवारिणा राघवसागरेण प्रच्छाद्यमानस्तरसा भवद्भिः। युक्तस्त्वयं तारयितुं समेत्य काकुत्स्थपातालमुखे पतन् सः
As he is swiftly being covered by the ocean of Raghava's army, you must unite and rescue him, for he is falling into the mouth of the Kakutstha's underworld.
इदं पुरस्यास्य सराक्षसस्य राज्ञश्च पथ्यं ससुहृज्जनस्य। सम्यग्घि वाक्यं स्वमतं ब्रवीमि नरेन्द्रपुत्राय ददातु मैथिलीम्
This is the right course for this city of rakshasas, for the king, and for his friends; I speak these words truly, let Maithili be given to the prince among men.
परस्य वीर्यं स्वबलं च बुद्ध्वा स्थानं क्षयं चैव तथैव वृद्धिम्। तथा स्वपक्षेऽप्यनुमृश्य बुद्ध्या वदेत् क्षमं स्वामिहितं स मन्त्री
A counselor should, after discerning with intelligence the strength and power of the enemy, as well as their own position, decline, and growth, likewise carefully consider the same in their own side, and then speak what is appropriate and beneficial to their master.
thumb|पञ्चदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे पञ्चदशः सर्गः ॥६-
Listen now to the fifteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Book of War.
बृहस्पतेस्तुल्यमतेर्वचस्त- न्निशम्य यत्नेन विभीषणस्य। ततो महात्मा वचनं बभाषे तत्रेन्द्रजिन्नैर्ऋतयूथमुख्यः
Hearing the words of Vibhīṣaṇa, whose intellect was equal to Bṛhaspati, with great attention, then the great-souled Indrajit, chief among the Rākṣasa warriors, spoke these words there.
किं नाम ते तात कनिष्ठ वाक्य- मनर्थकं वै बहुभीतवच्च। अस्मिन् कुले योऽपि भवेन्न जातः सोऽपीदृशं नैव वदेन्न कुर्यात्
Why, dear younger brother, do you speak such useless and fearful words? Even one who is born in this family, though not yet grown, would never speak or act in such a way.
सत्त्वेन वीर्येण पराक्रमेण धैर्येण शौर्येण च तेजसा च। एकः कुलेऽस्मिन् पुरुषो विमुक्तो विभीषणस्तात कनिष्ठ एषः
By virtue, strength, valor, courage, heroism, and brilliance, only one in this family has turned away—and that is you, dear younger brother Vibhīṣaṇa.
किं नाम तौ मानुषराजपुत्रा- वस्माकमेकेन हि राक्षसेन। सुप्राकृतेनापि निहन्तुमेतौ शक्यौ कुतो भीषयसे स्म भीरो
Why do you frighten us, saying that those two sons of the human king cannot be slain by even a single Rākṣasa, even one of ordinary power?
त्रिलोकनाथो ननु देवराजः शक्रो मया भूमितले निविष्टः। भयार्पिताश्चापि दिशः प्रपन्नाः सर्वे तदा देवगणाः समग्राः
Was it not I who, on earth, subdued Indra, the lord of the three worlds and king of the gods? At that time, all the hosts of gods fled in fear to the directions.
ऐरावतो निःस्वनमुन्नदन् स निपातितो भूमितले मया तु। विकृष्य दन्तौ तु मया प्रसह्य वित्रासिता देवगणाः समग्राः
It was I who struck down Airāvata, trumpeting loudly, to the ground; I forcefully pulled out his tusks, and terrified all the hosts of gods.
सोऽहं सुराणामपि दर्पहन्ता दैत्योत्तमानामपि शोककर्ता। कथं नरेन्द्रात्मजयोर्न शक्तो मनुष्ययोः प्राकृतयोः सुवीर्यः
I am the one who destroys the pride of the gods and brings grief to the greatest of Daityas; how then can I, powerful as I am, not be able to defeat the sons of a human king, mere mortals?
अथेन्द्रकल्पस्य दुरासदस्य महौजसस्तद् वचनं निशम्य। ततो महार्थं वचनं बभाषे विभीषणः शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठः
Then, hearing these words of Indrajit, who was like Indra himself, difficult to approach and of great energy, Vibhīṣaṇa, the foremost among weapon-bearers, spoke words of great import.
न तात मन्त्रे तव निश्चयोऽस्ति बालस्त्वमद्याप्यविपक्वबुद्धिः। तस्मात् त्वयाप्यात्मविनाशनाय वचोऽर्थहीनं बहु विप्रलप्तम्
Dear one, you have no firmness in counsel; you are still a child, your understanding not yet mature. Therefore, you have spoken many meaningless words, leading only to your own destruction.
पुत्रप्रवादेन तु रावणस्य त्वमिन्द्रजिन्मित्रमुखोऽसि शत्रुः। यस्येदृशं राघवतो विनाशं निशम्य मोहादनुमन्यसे त्वम्
By speaking as the son of Rāvaṇa, you, Indrajit, have become an enemy with a friendly face; for you, in your delusion, agree to the destruction of Rāghava, hearing of such a fate.
त्वमेव वध्यश्च सुदुर्मतिश्च स चापि वध्यो य इहानयत् त्वाम्। बालं दृढं साहसिकं च योऽद्य प्रावेशयन्मन्त्रकृतां समीपम्
You alone deserve to be slain, and you are of exceedingly wicked mind; and he too deserves death who brought you here—this child, stubborn and reckless, into the midst of the counselors.
मूढोऽप्रगल्भोऽविनयोपपन्न- स्तीक्ष्णस्वभावोऽल्पमतिर्दुरात्मा। मूर्खस्त्वमत्यन्तसुदुर्मतिश्च त्वमिन्द्रजिद् बालतया ब्रवीषि
You are foolish, lacking boldness, devoid of humility, harsh by nature, of little intelligence, and evil-minded; you are a fool, extremely wicked, and you speak, Indrajit, out of childishness.
को ब्रह्मदण्डप्रतिमप्रकाशा- नर्चिष्मतः कालनिकाशरूपान्। सहेत बाणान् यमदण्डकल्पान् समक्षमुक्तान् युधि राघवेण
Who could withstand in battle the arrows of Rāghava, blazing like the staff of Brahmā, radiant, resembling Time itself, and like the rod of Yama, released before one's eyes?
धनानि रत्नानि सुभूषणानि वासांसि दिव्यानि मणींश्च चित्रान्। सीतां च रामाय निवेद्य देवीं वसेम राजन्निह वीतशोकाः
Let us offer wealth, jewels, splendid ornaments, divine garments, and various precious gems, and also Sītā, the queen, to Rāma; then, O king, we may live here free from sorrow.
thumb|षोडशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे षोडशः सर्गः ॥६-
Listen now to the sixteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Book of War.
सुनिविष्टं हितं वाक्यमुक्तवन्तं विभीषणम्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं रावणः कालचोदितः
To Vibhīṣaṇa, who had spoken words that were well-considered and beneficial, Rāvaṇa, impelled by fate, replied with harsh words.
वसेत् सह सपत्नेन क्रुद्धेनाशीविषेण च। न तु मित्रप्रवादेन संवसेच्छत्रुसेविना
One may live with a co-wife or even with an angry venomous serpent, but never should one dwell with an enemy who pretends to be a friend.
जानामि शीलं ज्ञातीनां सर्वलोकेषु राक्षस। हृष्यन्ति व्यसनेष्वेते ज्ञातीनां ज्ञातयः सदा
I know the nature of kinsmen everywhere, O Rākṣasa; in times of misfortune, kinsmen always rejoice at the troubles of their own kin.
प्रधानं साधकं वैद्यं धर्मशीलं च राक्षस। ज्ञातयोऽप्यवमन्यन्ते शूरं परिभवन्ति च
Even if one is a chief, an accomplished person, a physician, or righteous in conduct, O Rākṣasa, kinsmen disregard and belittle even a hero.
नित्यमन्योन्यसंहृष्टा व्यसनेष्वाततायिनः। प्रच्छन्नहृदया घोरा ज्ञातयस्तु भयावहाः
Always delighting in each other's misfortune, hostile, with hidden intentions, and terrible—kinsmen are truly a source of fear.
श्रूयन्ते हस्तिभिर्गीताः श्लोकाः पद्मवने पुरा। पाशहस्तान् नरान् दृष्ट्वा शृणुष्व गदतो मम
Verses once sung by elephants in the lotus forest are heard; listen as I recite them, having seen men bound with nooses.