Ramayana — Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 23

मैत्रीप्रतिष्ठा

Rama–Sugriva Alliance and Fire-Rite of Friendship

Devanagari script

सोऽहं त्रस्तो वने भीतो वसाम्युद्भ्रान्तचेतनः4.5.23।।वालिना निकृतो भ्रात्रा कृतवैरश्च राघव।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ trasto vane bhīto vasāmy udbhrāntacetanaḥ | vālinā nikṛto bhrātrā kṛtavairaś ca rāghava ||4.5.23||

Translation

‘So I live in the forest, terrified and with a mind unsteady—wronged by my brother Vālin—and I have been forced into enmity, O Rāghava.’

Word by Word

• saḥ: that (such)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• trastaḥ: frightened
• trastaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tras (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• bhītaḥ: afraid
• bhītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhī (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vasāmi: I live
• vasāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• udbhrānta-cetanaḥ: with a bewildered mind
• udbhrānta-cetanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-bhrānta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + cetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (whose mind is bewildered), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vālinā: by Vali
• vālinā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental: by Vali)

• nikṛtaḥ: wronged/humiliated
• nikṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• bhrātrā: by (my) brother
• bhrātrā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental: by (my) brother)

• kṛta-vairaḥ: having formed enmity
• kṛta-vairaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्राय (made enmity), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

'O Rama! humiliated by my brother Vali, I have developed enmity with him. Terribly distraught and disturbed I live in this forest in great fear.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Vālin
• forest (vana)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Recognition of adharma within kinship: the verse frames wrongdoing by a brother as morally destabilizing and calls for restoration of righteous order.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva details the fear and mental turmoil caused by Vālin’s actions, explaining why he is living in hiding.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity and restraint: Sugrīva portrays enmity as compelled by injustice, not chosen lightly.