Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 47

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

ततोमैन्दस्तुसम्प्रेक्ष्यनयापनयकोविदः ।वाक्यंवचनसम्पन्नोबभाषेहेतुमत्तरम् ।।6.17.47।।

Transliteration

tato maindaḥ tu samprīkṣya nayāpanayakovidaḥ | vākyaṃ vacanasampanno babhāṣe hetumattaram || 6.17.47 ||

Translation

Then Mainda—skilled in discerning right policy and mispolicy—having considered the matter, spoke a statement rich in expression and fully grounded in reason.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• maindaḥ: Mainda
• maindaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mainda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• samprekṣya: having considered
• samprekṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); 'having observed/considered'

• naya-apanaya-kovidaḥ: skilled in policy and counter-policy
• naya-apanaya-kovidaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naya + apanaya + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying maindaḥ)

• vākyam: a statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• vacana-sampannaḥ: endowed with apt speech
• vacana-sampannaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vacana + sampanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying maindaḥ)

• babhāṣe: spoke
• babhāṣe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• hetu-mattaram: highly reasoned
• hetu-mattaram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hetu-mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative/superlative sense: 'very/most logical'); विशेषण (qualifying vākyam)

Context

"O king of mortals! This is Ravana's brother called Vibheeshana. Let him be slowly and gently interrogated for long."

Characters & Entities

• Mainda

FAQs

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

Dharma in counsel is rational speech: decisions affecting life and war should be guided by reasoned, well-considered words rather than suspicion or passion.

What is the narrative situation?

In the debate about how to respond to Vibhīṣaṇa’s arrival, Mainda prepares to offer a carefully reasoned recommendation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Mainda’s nīti (political prudence) and clarity of expression—reasoned advice delivered skillfully.