Vibhishana Brings His Grandsire's Warning to Ravana's Feet
Sundara Kanda, Doha 39
Doha 39 · Movement 2 of 2
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Vibhishana leaves his seat and comes again to the feet of the ten headed king. He bows repeatedly, not because his counsel is uncertain, but because affection still seeks a way through the armor of Ravana's pride.
Abandon self importance, delusion, and intoxicated arrogance, he pleads. Worship the Lord of Kosala. The words do not arise from Vibhishana alone. The great sage Pulastya, Ravana's own grandsire, had entrusted this warning to one of his disciples and sent it toward Lanka.
Vibhishana received that ancestral counsel and waited for a fitting hour. Now, with the enemy at the sea and the court balanced upon disaster, he has spoken it immediately before his lord. The voice of family, scripture, wisdom, and love gathers at Ravana's feet, asking only that he bend before Rama.
A warning carried from Pulastya through sage and brother kneels before the king who will not bow.
Read the passage from the Manas
बार बार पद लागउँ बिनय करउँ दससीस। परिहरि मान मोह मद भजहु कोसलाधीस।।39(क)।। मुनि पुलस्ति निज सिष्य सन कहि पठई यह बात। तुरत सो मैं प्रभु सन कही पाइ सुअवसरु तात।।39(ख)।।
"Again and again I fall at your feet and entreat you, O ten-headed one: Abandon pride, delusion, and arrogance; worship the Lord of Kosala!" (39a) Sage Pulastya sent this counsel through his own disciple. Seizing the right moment, dear one, I conveyed those very words to the Lord. (39b)