अब्रवीच्च तदा वाक्यं जातक्रोधो विभीषणः। अन्तरिक्षगतः श्रीमान् भ्राता वै राक्षसाधिपम्
Then, filled with anger, the illustrious Vibhīṣaṇa, standing in the sky, spoke these words to his brother, the lord of the Rākṣasas.
स त्वं भ्रान्तोऽसि मे राजन् ब्रूहि मां यद् यदिच्छसि। ज्येष्ठो मान्यः पितृसमो न च धर्मपथे स्थितः। इदं हि परुषं वाक्यं न क्षमाम्यग्रजस्य ते
You are mistaken about me, O king; say to me whatever you wish. The eldest is to be honored, like a father, but you do not walk the path of righteousness. I cannot endure these harsh words from you, my elder brother.
सुनीतं हितकामेन वाक्यमुक्तं दशानन। न गृह्णन्त्यकृतात्मानः कालस्य वशमागताः
O Ten-Headed One, those who are unwise and under the sway of time do not accept words that are well-spoken and offered with good intent.
सुलभाः पुरुषा राजन् सततं प्रियवादिनः। अप्रियस्य च पथ्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभः
O King, men who always speak pleasant words are easy to find; but one who speaks and listens to what is unpalatable yet beneficial is rare.
बद्धं कालस्य पाशेन सर्वभूतापहारिणः। न नश्यन्तमुपेक्षे त्वां प्रदीप्तं शरणं यथा
Bound by the noose of Time, which takes away all beings, I do not ignore you as you are perishing, just as one would not neglect a blazing refuge.
दीप्तपावकसंकाशैः शितैः काञ्चनभूषणैः। न त्वामिच्छाम्यहं द्रष्टुं रामेण निहतं शरैः
With arrows shining like blazing fire and adorned with golden ornaments, I do not wish to see you struck down by Rāma.
शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्राश्च नरा रणे। कालाभिपन्नाः सीदन्ति यथा वालुकसेतवः
Even heroes, strong and skilled in weapons, falter in battle when overtaken by Time, just as sandbanks collapse.
तन्मर्षयतु यच्चोक्तं गुरुत्वाद्धितमिच्छता। आत्मानं सर्वथा रक्ष पुरीं चेमां सराक्षसाम्। स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि सुखी भव मया विना
Whatever I have said, let it be borne with patience, for it was spoken out of respect and for your good. In every way, protect yourself and this city with all its rākṣasas. May you fare well; I will depart. Be happy without me.
निवार्यमाणस्य मया हितैषिणा न रोचते ते वचनं निशाचर। परान्तकाले हि गतायुषो नरा हितं न गृह्णन्ति सुहृद्भिरीरितम्
Though I, your well-wisher, try to restrain you, my words do not please you, O night-wanderer. For at the end of their life, men whose time has come do not accept the good advice spoken by friends.
thumb|सप्तदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे सप्तदशः सर्गः ॥६-
Listen to the seventeenth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa.
इत्युक्त्वा परुषं वाक्यं रावणं रावणानुजः। आजगाम मुहूर्तेन यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः
Having spoken harsh words, Rāvaṇa's younger brother went at once to where Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were.
तं मेरुशिखराकारं दीप्तामिव शतह्रदाम्। गगनस्थं महीस्थास्ते ददृशुर्वानराधिपाः
The monkey chiefs saw him, towering like the peak of Mount Meru, radiant like a hundred-rayed sun, standing in the sky and on the earth.
ते चाप्यनुचरास्तस्य चत्वारो भीमविक्रमाः। तेऽपि वर्मायुधोपेता भूषणोत्तमभूषिताः
And his four attendants, of terrifying valor, were also there—equipped with armor and weapons, adorned with the finest ornaments.
स च मेघाचलप्रख्यो वज्रायुधसमप्रभः। वरायुधधरो वीरो दिव्याभरणभूषितः
He himself, resembling a thundercloud and shining like a thunderbolt, wielded excellent weapons and was adorned with divine ornaments.
तमात्मपञ्चमं दृष्ट्वा सुग्रीवो वानराधिपः। वानरैः सह दुर्धर्षश्चिन्तयामास बुद्धिमान्
Seeing him as the fifth among them, Sugrīva, lord of the monkeys, wise and unassailable, began to ponder along with the monkeys.
चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तं तु वानरांस्तानुवाच ह। हनुमत्प्रमुखान् सर्वानिदं वचनमुत्तमम्
After thinking for a moment, he addressed all those monkeys, with Hanumān at their head, with these excellent words.
एष सर्वायुधोपेतश्चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः। राक्षसोभ्येति पश्यध्वमस्मान् हन्तुं न संशयः
This rākṣasa, equipped with all weapons and accompanied by four others, is approaching us—see, there is no doubt he comes to destroy us.
सुग्रीवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वे ते वानरोत्तमाः। सालानुद्यम्य शैलांश्च इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Hearing Sugrīva's words, all those foremost monkeys, lifting up trees and rocks, spoke these words.
शीघ्रं व्यादिश नो राजन् वधायैषां दुरात्मनाम्। निपतन्ति हता यावद् धरण्यामल्पचेतनाः
Command us quickly, O King, to slay these evil-minded ones, before they fall to the ground, slain and barely conscious.
तेषां सम्भाषमाणानामन्योन्यं स विभीषणः। उत्तरं तीरमासाद्य खस्थ एव व्यतिष्ठत
As they were conversing with one another, Vibhīṣaṇa, remaining in the sky, reached the northern shore.
स उवाच महाप्राज्ञः स्वरेण महता महान्। सुग्रीवं तांश्च सम्प्रेक्ष्य खस्थ एव विभीषणः
That great and wise Vibhīṣaṇa, still standing in the sky, addressed Sugrīva and the others in a loud voice.
रावणो नाम दुर्वृत्तो राक्षसो राक्षसेश्वरः। तस्याहमनुजो भ्राता विभीषण इति श्रुतः
There is a wicked rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas; I am his younger brother, known as Vibhīṣaṇa.
तेन सीता जनस्थानाद् हृता हत्वा जटायुषम्। रुद्धा च विवशा दीना राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता
By him, Sītā was taken from Janasthāna after killing Jaṭāyu; she is held captive, helpless and distressed, guarded securely by rākṣasīs.
तमहं हेतुभिर्वाक्यैर्विविधैश्च न्यदर्शयम्। साधु निर्यात्यतां सीता रामायेति पुनः पुनः
I repeatedly advised him with many reasonable words: 'Let Sītā be returned to Rāma, this is right.'
स च न प्रतिजग्राह रावणः कालचोदितः। उच्यमानं हितं वाक्यं विपरीत इवौषधम्
But Rāvaṇa, impelled by fate, did not accept the beneficial words spoken to him, just as a wrong medicine is not accepted.
सोऽहं परुषितस्तेन दासवच्चावमानितः। त्यक्त्वा पुत्रांश्च दारांश्च राघवं शरणं गतः
Thus, insulted by him and treated like a servant, I abandoned my sons and wife and have come to seek refuge with Rāghava.
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवो लघुविक्रमः। लक्ष्मणस्याग्रतो रामं संरब्धमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, Sugrīva, swift in action, spoke these agitated words to Rāma in Lakṣmaṇa’s presence.
प्रविष्टः शत्रुसैन्यं हि प्राप्तः शत्रुरतर्कितः। निहन्यादन्तरं लब्ध्वा उलूको वायसानिव
Indeed, an enemy has entered the enemy’s army, arriving unsuspected; if he finds an opening, he may strike, like an owl among crows.
मन्त्रे व्यूहे नये चारे युक्तो भवितुमर्हसि। वानराणां च भद्रं ते परेषां च परंतप
You must be vigilant in counsel, formation, strategy, and intelligence; may there be safety for the vānaras and for you, scorcher of foes.
अन्तर्धानगता ह्येते राक्षसाः कामरूपिणः। शूराश्च निकृतिज्ञाश्च तेषां जातु न विश्वसेत्
These rākṣasas can vanish and assume forms at will; they are brave and skilled in deceit—one should never trust them.