स तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः। आज्ञापयद् वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥
Hearing the words of the high-souled monkey, Răvaņa, bereft of his senses by wrath, ordered that he should be put to death.
वधे तस्य समाज्ञप्ते रावणेन दुरात्मना। निवेदितवतो दौत्यं नानुमेने विभीषणः॥
On the death of that one who had proclaimed his own position of being an envoy, having been ordered by the wicked-minded Ravana, Vibhisana did not agree (with the decision).
तं रक्षोऽधिपतिं क्रुद्धं तच्च कार्यमुपस्थितम्। विदित्वा चिन्तयामास कार्यं कार्यविधौ स्थितः॥
And knowing that the lord of Rākşasas was wroth and that affair (The destruction of Hanuman) was at hand, Vibhisana, resolved to act according to justice, began to reflect as to what was to be done.
निश्चितार्थस्ततः साम्ना पूज्यं शत्रुजिदग्रजम्। उवाच हितमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः।४।। क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र प्रसीद मे वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व। वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः॥
Having arrived at a decision, that one skilled in speech, paying homage to that conqueror of foes, his elder brother, spoke to him in words eminently good. “O lord of Rākṣasas, forgive me and renounce your wrath." (The commentator says, the passage means, ‘Give up your promise (to slay Hanumãn) and abate your anger.) Extend your favour to me, and hear these words of mine. Lords of the earth, endowed with integrity and knowing high and low, never put messengers to death,
राजन् धर्मविरुद्धं च लोकवृत्तेश्च गर्हितम्। तव चासदृशं वीर कपेरस्य प्रमापणम्॥
The taking the monkey's life, O king, is opposed to morality and repugnant to social usage; and it is also unworthy of yourself.
धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च राजधर्मविशारदः। परावरज्ञो भूतानां त्वमेव परमार्थवित्॥ गृह्यन्ते यति रोषेण त्वादृशोऽपि विचक्षणाः। ततः शास्त्रविपश्चित्वं श्रम एव हि केवलम्॥
You understands morality, are grateful and versed in the morality of sovereigns, and can distinguish between high and low among beings, and even you know the prime sense of things. If discerning persons like you come under the governance of passion, mere toil is the pains that are undergone to master the scriptures.
तस्मात् प्रसीद शत्रुघ्न राक्षसेन्द्र दुरासद। युक्तायुक्तं विनिश्चित्य दूतदण्डो विधीयताम्॥
Therefore, O destroyer of enemies, be pacified. O lord of Raksasas, difficult to approach, consider what is proper or otherwise, and then do you mete out punishment to the envoy.
विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। कोपेन महताऽऽविष्टो वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवीत्॥
Hearing Vibhisana's speech, Ravana lord of Raksasas, overcome with a mighty wrath, answered,
न पापानां वधे पापं विद्यते शत्रुसूदन। तस्मादिमं वधिष्यामि वानरं पापकारिणम्॥
O slayer of foes, to slay the sinful dose not cause sin. Therefore shall I slay this monkey, worker of iniquity.
मनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य। उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः॥
Hearing these words grounded in unrighteousness, evil every way, and worthy of the base, that foremost of intelligent ones, Vibhișana, spoke words couching supreme import,
प्रसीद लङ्केश्वर राक्षसेन्द्र धर्मार्थतत्त्वं वचनं शृणुप्व। दूता न वध्याः समयेषु राजन् सर्वेषु सर्वत्र वदन्ति सन्तः॥
O lord of Lankā, be propitious. O Sovereign of Rākṣasas, listen to speech containing the significance of virtue and profit. O king, an envoy is not to be put to death on the occasion of his discharging his proper functions. This righteous people say everywhere to all.
असंशयं शत्रुरयं प्रवृद्धः कृतं ह्यनेनाप्रियमप्रमेयम्। न दूतवध्यां प्रवदन्ति सन्तो दूतस्य दृष्टा बहवो हि दण्डाः॥
Surely this is an overgrown enemy; and he has perpetrated immense injury (to us). But say the good, envoys are not to be slain, albeit many are the punishments that have been assigned for messengers.
वैरूप्यमङ्गेषु कशाभिघातो मौण्ड्यं तथा लक्षणसंनिपातः एतान्हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान् वधस्तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतोऽस्ति॥
Disfigurement of the body, strips, shaving of the head, one of these or all combined, these are said to be the punishments that should be inflicted on envoys. But I have not heard of the punishment of death being a penalty of the envoy. as
कथं च धर्मार्थविनीतबुद्धिः परावरप्रत्ययनिश्चितार्थः। भवद्विधः कोपवशे हि तिष्ठेत् कोपं न गच्छन्ति हि सत्त्ववन्तः॥
Why dose one like you, having one's intelligence rendered meek respects righteousness and profit, and capable of proceeding on certain decisions on the merits or otherwise of things, come under the sway of passion? Those possessed of power never give way to anger.
न धर्मवादे न च लोकवृत्ते न शास्त्रबुद्धिग्रहणेषु वापि। स्त्वं ह्युत्तमः सर्वसुरासुराणाम्॥
Neither in religious discussion, nor in social concernis, nor in appropriating the right sense of the scriptures, is there any that can approach you, O hero-Verily you are the foremost among celestials and Asuras.
पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वयाप्रमेयेण सुरेन्द्रसंघा जिताश्च युद्धेष्वसकृन्नरेन्द्राः॥
Invincible to the gods and Asuras themselves gifted with prowess, high spirits and intelligence, you had in battle oftentimes put to the rout the chiefs of celestials and monarchs.
इत्थंविधस्यामरदैत्यशत्रोः शूरस्य वीरस्य तवाजितस्य। कुर्वन्ति वीरा मनसायलीकं प्राणैर्विमुक्ता न तु भोः पुरा ते॥
Those heroes that have heretofore mentally entertained enmity against such a one as you, foe of deities and Daityas, heroic and valiant and unconquerable, have not been deprived by you of their lives. (There is a particle api, even, which stands in the way of this Sloka fitting in with the context.-'Even those heroes who have mentally etc'-is a lame reason why Hanumān, who had wronged Rāvana so outrageously in overt act, should be let off.) on
न चाप्यस्य कपेर्घाते कंचित् पश्याम्यहं गुणम्। तेष्वयं पात्यतां दण्डो यैरयं प्रेषितः कपिः॥
Nor do I see any good that may likely accrue to us from the slaying of this monkey. Let your vengeance descend those that have despatched the monkey.
साधुर्वा यदि वासाधुः परैरेष समर्पितः। ब्रुवन् परार्थं परवान् न दूतो वधमर्हति॥
Whether honest or otherwise, this one has been commissioned by others. Advocating interest not his own and identifying himself with another, an envoy dose not merit the being put to death.
अपि चास्मिन्हते नान्यं राजन् पश्यामि खेचरम्। तस्मान्नास्य वधे यत्नः कार्यः परपुरंजय। भवान् सेन्द्रेषु देवेषु यत्नमास्थातुमर्हति ॥
O king, if this one be slain, no other skyranger whatever would show himself tous. Threfore, O captor of hostile capitals, do not seek to slay this one. You should spend yourself on celestials with Indra (at their head).
अस्मिन् विनष्टे नहि भूतमन्यं पश्यामि यस्तौ नरराजपुत्रौ। वुद्योजयेद् वै भवता विरुद्धौ॥
On his being killed, another see I not who, O you that love warfare, can move those haughty sons of a king to take up arms against you.
पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वयो मनोनन्दन नैर्ऋतानां युद्धाय निर्नाशयितुं न युक्तम्॥
And, O bringer-in of joy to the heart, it is not proper for you, invincible to celestials and Asuras gifted with prowess, high spirits and intelligence, to disappoint the Nairtas (as to their eagerness for encounter).
हिताश्च शूराश्च समाहिताश्च कलेषु जाताश्च महागुणेषु। मनस्विनः शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठाः कोपप्रशस्ताः सुभृताश्च सुभृताश्च योधाः॥ तदेकदेशेन बलस्य तावत् केचित् तवादेशकृतोऽद्य यान्तु। तौ राजपुत्रावुपगृह्य मूढौ परेषु ते भावयितुं प्रभावम्॥ निशाचराणामधिपोऽनुजस्य विभीषणस्योत्तमवाक्यनिष्ठम्। महाबलो राक्षसराजमुख्यः॥
They are devoted to your good, and are heroic and intent on your well-being, born in lines having high and fiery virtues, and endowed with intelligence, the flower of those bearing arms—and have been maintained by you. Therefore let a portion of the forces, having received your order, march to-day, and bring (hither) those foolish princes. It is meet that you should display your prowess before fores.” Thereat, the lord of the night-rangers, that potent enemy of the celestials and the foremost of Räkşasa monarchs, lending free play to his intellect, accepted the excellent words of his younger brother.