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316
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
न हि धर्मविरुद्धेषु बहुपायेषु कर्मसु ।
मूलघातिषु सज्जन्ते बुद्धिमन्तो भवाद्विवाः ॥
 
Wise men like you do not engage in
courses which are opposed to righteous-
ness, which involve many dangers and
which will destroy them at the very root.
 
तत् त्रिकालहितं वाक्यं धर्यमर्थानुबन्धि च ।
मन्यस्व नरदेवाय जानकी प्रतिदीयताम् ॥
 
Therefore pay heed to my advice which
will secure your welfare in the past, pre-
sent and future, which is based on dharma
and which follows the Sastra. Give back
Sita to Rama, the best of men.'
 
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः ।
आज्ञापयद्वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूच्छितः ॥
 
Hearing those words of the high-soul-
ed monkey, Ravana, beside himself with
anger, ordered his killing.
 
वधे तस्य समाज्ञप्ते रावणेन दुरात्मना ।
निवेदितवतो दौत्यं नानुमेने विभीषणः ॥