Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 42

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

यदिदोषोमहांस्तस्मिंस्त्यज्वतामविशङ्कितम् ।गुणान्वापिबहून् ज्ञात्वासङ्ग्रहःक्रियतांनृप ।।6.17.42।।

Transliteration

yadi doṣo mahāṃs tasmiṃs tyajyatām aviśaṅkitam |

guṇān vāpi bahūn jñātvā saṅgrahaḥ kriyatāṃ nṛpa ||6.17.42||

Translation

O king, if great faults are found in him, let him be rejected without hesitation; but if many virtues are known, then let him be accepted on that basis.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of implied अस्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, प्रथमा (nominative singular)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of दोषः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, प्रथमा (nominative singular)

• तस्मिन्: in him
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location: in him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, सप्तमी (locative singular)

• त्यज्यताम्: let (him) be rejected
• त्यज्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive imperative): ‘let (him/it) be abandoned’

• अविशङ्कितम्: without doubt
• अविशङ्कितम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-विशङ्कित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+शङ्क् + क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनं क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative): ‘without doubt’

• गुणान्: virtues
• गुणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ज्ञात्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, बहुवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative plural)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adder)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of गुणान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, बहुवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative plural)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having known’

• सङ्ग्रहः: acceptance
• सङ्ग्रहः: Karma (कर्म/Object of क्रियताम्; passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, प्रथमा (nominative singular)

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive imperative): ‘let it be done’

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, सम्बोधन (vocative)

Context

"If there are great bad qualities (in Vibheeshana) no doubt he has to be rejected. If there are many virtues let us take him knowing them also."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is impartial evaluation: neither blind acceptance nor blind rejection—decide by verified faults and virtues, upholding satya through evidence.

What is the narrative situation?

Angada outlines a conditional policy for Vibhīṣaṇa: reject if major flaws appear; accept if virtues are established.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fair-mindedness and procedural caution—testing before taking a consequential step.