Vibhishana Bows in Ravana's Court and Rises to Speak the Truth
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 38
Doha 38 · Movement 1 of 2
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Flatterers praise Ravana from every side when Vibhishana enters at the proper moment. He bows his head at his elder brother's feet, bows again, takes his appointed seat, and waits for permission. Only then does one truthful voice rise within the crowded hall.
If you ask me, gracious brother, I will speak according to my understanding and for your good. Whoever desires welfare, honorable fame, sound judgment, an auspicious destiny, and many forms of happiness must avert the eyes from another's wife as carefully as people avoid the moon on the forbidden fourth night.
Vibhishana widens the warning until the fourteen worlds stand within it. Even sole dominion over them cannot endure when founded on harm to living beings. A man may be an ocean of virtues and accomplished in every worldly art, but let a little greed enter him and no one will call him good. The court's praise falls silent before the measure of dharma.
Vibhishana kneels as a younger brother, then stands in truth before the ruler of fourteen worlds.
Read the passage from the Manas
सोइ रावन कहुँ बनि सहाई। अस्तुति करहिं सुनाइ सुनाई।। अवसर जानि बिभीषनु आवा। भ्राता चरन सीसु तेहिं नावा।। पुनि सिरु नाइ बैठ निज आसन। बोला बचन पाइ अनुसासन।। जौ कृपाल पूँछिहु मोहि बाता। मति अनुरुप कहउँ हित ताता।। जो आपन चाहै कल्याना। सुजसु सुमति सुभ गति सुख नाना।। सो परनारि लिलार गोसाईं। तजउ चउथि के चंद कि नाई।। चौदह भुवन एक पति होई। भूतद्रोह तिष्टइ नहिं सोई।। गुन सागर नागर नर जोऊ। अलप लोभ भल कहइ न कोऊ।।
Those very flatterers became Ravana's supporters, praising him loudly and without pause. Seeing the right moment, Vibhishana came forward and bowed his head at his elder brother's feet. Bowing again, he took his appointed seat and spoke only after receiving permission. 'If you ask me, O gracious one, I shall speak what my understanding deems beneficial, dear brother.' 'Whoever desires his own kalyaana, good fame, clear wisdom, an auspicious path, and many forms of sukha, should never so much as glance at another man's wife, O Gosaaeen, just as one averts the eye from the fourth night's moon. Even if one becomes the sole master of all fourteen bhuvanas, sovereignty built on bhuta-droha, on harming living beings, cannot endure. Even a man who is an ocean of guna and accomplished in worldly ways: let even a little lobha stain him, and no one will speak well of him.'