Yuddha Kanda — Sarga 16

सुनिविष्टं हितं वाक्यमुक्तवन्तं विभीषणम्। अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यं रावणः कालचोदितः॥

Vibhīşaņa addressing him with these excellent and auspicious words, fraught with high sense, Rāvaņa, impelled by Death, again spoke in harsh accents.

Yuddha Kanda 16.1

वसेत्सह सपत्नेन क्रुद्धनाशीविषेण च। न तु मित्रप्रवादेन संवसेच्छत्रुसेविना॥

It is better to live with open enemies or enraged serpents than with those who pass for friends but are in reality foes.

Yuddha Kanda 16.2

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

I know well the nature of kinsmen, in all the worlds, O Raksasas, one takes delight in another's misfortune.

Yuddha Kanda 16.3

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

The kinsmen, O Raksasa, generally disregard him who is their king, * protects the kingdom, educated and pious-and they always try to discomfit him, if he be a heroe. *On account of the priority of his birth,

Yuddha Kanda 16.4

नित्यमन्योन्यसंहृष्टा व्यसनेष्वाततायिनः। प्रच्छन्नहृदया घोरा ज्ञातयस्तु भयावहाः॥

These terrible enemies-the kinsmen, hypocrite as they are, always take delight in one another's calamity.

Yuddha Kanda 16.5

श्रूयन्ते हस्तिभिर्गीताः श्लोकाः पद्मवने पुरा। पाशहस्तानरान्दृष्ट्वा शृणुष्व गदतो मम॥ नाग्निर्नान्यानि शस्त्राणि न नः पाशा भयावहाः।। घोराः स्वार्थप्रयुक्तास्तु ज्ञातयो नो भयावहाः॥

Hear, I shall relate what elephants, in yore, spoke beholding some persons with noose in hand-We do not fear, fire, weapons, or even the terrible noose-we fear only the dreadful kinsmen, blinded with selfishness.

Yuddha Kanda 16.6

उपायमेते वक्ष्यन्ति ग्रहणे नात्र संशयः। कृत्स्नाद्भयाज्ज्ञातिभयं सुकष्टं विदितं च नः॥

They alone unfold the means of our detection, there is not the least doubt about it. Fear from kinsmen is therefore known as the worst of all fears.

Yuddha Kanda 16.7

विद्यते गोषु संपन्न विद्यते ज्ञातितो भयम्। विद्यते स्त्रीषु चापल्यं विद्यते ब्राह्मणे तपः॥

In kine there is milk, in kinsmen, there is fear, in women there is fickleness, and in Brahmanas, there is asceticism.

Yuddha Kanda 16.8

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

It does not please you, I fancy, O gentle one, that I am honoured of the three worlds, the lord of riches, and the subduer of my foes.

Yuddha Kanda 16.9

यथा पुष्करपत्रेषु पतितास्तोयबिन्दवः। न श्लेषमभिगच्छन्ति तथानार्येषु सौहृदम्॥

As the drops of water do not last long on the leaves of lotuses, so is the friendship with unworthy persons.

Yuddha Kanda 16.10

यथा शरदि मेघानां सिञ्चतामपि गर्जताम्। न भवत्यम्बुसंक्लेदस्तथानार्येषु सौहृदम्॥

As the autumnal clouds, albeit muttering, do not pour forth water, so is the friendship with unworthy persons.

Yuddha Kanda 16.11

यथा मधुकरस्तांद्रसं विन्दन्न तिष्ठति। तथा त्वमपि तत्रैव तथानार्येषु सौहृदम्॥

As a bee flies away after sucking up the honey so is the friendship with unworthy persons.

Yuddha Kanda 16.12

यथा मधुकरस्तर्षात्काशपुष्पं पिबन्नपि। रसमत्रन न विन्देत तथानार्येषु सैहृदम्॥

As a bee, after feeding uport the Kāśa flowers, does not get honey so is (fruitless) the friendship with unworthy persons.

Yuddha Kanda 16.13

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

As an elephant, after being bathed, covers its body again with dust, taking it with its trunk, so is the friendship with unworthy persons.* *They afterwards forsake their former friends.

Yuddha Kanda 16.14

योऽन्यस्त्वेवंविधं ब्रूयाद्वाक्यमेतन्निशाचर। अस्मिन्मुहूर्ते न भवेत्त्वां तु धिक्कुलपांसन॥

Fie you, O night ranger, O you that bring disgrace on the family. Had any one else spoken thus he would have ceased to live by this time.

Yuddha Kanda 16.15

इत्युक्तः परुषं वाक्यं न्यायवादी विभीषणः। उत्पपात गदापाणिश्चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः॥

Being thus accosted harshly, Vibhisana, speaking truth, rose up along with four Rākṣasas having maces in their hands.

Yuddha Kanda 16.16

अब्रवीच्च तदा वाक्यं जातक्रोधो विभीषणः। अन्तरिक्षगतः श्रीमान्धाता वै राक्षसाधिपम्॥

There upon, rising up in the welkin, the graceful brother Vibhisana, worked up with ire, addressed the lord of Rāshasas.

Yuddha Kanda 16.17

स त्वं भ्रान्तोऽसि मे राजन्ब्रूहि मां यद्यदिच्छसि। ज्येष्ठो मान्यः पितृसमो न च धर्मपथे स्थितः। इदं हि परुषं वाक्यं न क्षमाम्यग्रजस्य ते॥

You are mistaken, O king. Do you speak what you wish, you are my elder brother, adorable like to father-you did not follow the track of virtue. I cannot tolerate the harsh accents of you, my elder brother.

Yuddha Kanda 16.18

सुनीतं हितकामेन वाक्यमुक्तं दशानन। न गृह्णन्त्यकृतात्मानः कालस्य वशमागताः॥

For your welfare I spoke those w ell-meaning words, O Ten-necked one, but you did not pay heed to them being brought under the control of Death.

Yuddha Kanda 16.19

सुलभाः पुरुषा राजन्सततं प्रियवादिनः। अप्रियस्य च पथ्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभः॥

O king, many are the persons who speak sweet words. hit rare are they who can speak and near anpalatable but well-meaning words.

Yuddha Kanda 16.20

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

How can I disregard your death like to a burning house bound as you are by the noose of Death, the destroyer of all creatures.

Yuddha Kanda 16.21

दीप्तपावकसंकाशैः शितैः काञ्चनभूषणैः। न त्वामिच्छाम्यहं द्रष्टुं रामेण निहतं शरैः॥

I do not wish to behold you slain by the well sharpened shafts of Rāma, feathered in gold and resembling the flaming fire.

Yuddha Kanda 16.22

शूराश्च बलवन्तश्च कृतास्त्राश्च नरा रणे। कालाभिपन्नाः सीदन्ति यथा वालुकसेतवः॥

Even the heroic and powerful persons, well versed in the use of weapons, wear away like sands in battle, being attracted by Death.

Yuddha Kanda 16.23

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

You are worshipful to me, do you forgive me for what I have said for your welfare. Do you protect yourself and this city, abounding in Raksasas. May good betide you! I am going away and do you be happy without me.

Yuddha Kanda 16.24

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

What, I spoke to you, O ranger of the night, to prevent you, for your welfare, did not please you. Persons, whose lease of life is well-nigh expired, do not pay heed to the well-meaning words of their friends.

Yuddha Kanda 16.25