Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 28

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

अवधीर्यजरावृद्दंगृध्रराजंजटायुषम् ।किंनुतेरामसान्निध्येसकाशेलक्ष्मणस्यवा ।।।।हृतासीताविशालाक्षीयांत्वंगृह्यनबुध्यसे ।

Transliteration

avadhīrya jarā-vṛddhaṃ gṛdhra-rājaṃ jaṭāyuṣam |

kiṃ nu te rāma-sānnidhye sakāśe lakṣmaṇasya vā ||

hṛtā sītā viśālākṣī yāṃ tvaṃ gṛhya na budhyase ||

Translation

Disregarding the aged king of vultures, Jaṭāyu, you seized wide-eyed Sītā—yet you do not understand: why did you dare take her while Rāma was near, or even in Lakṣmaṇa’s presence?

Word by Word

• अवधीर्य: having disregarded
• अवधीर्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial to main action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव + √धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): 'having disregarded/treated with contempt'

• जरावृद्धम्: aged, old
• जरावृद्धम्: विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास: 'old with age'

• गृध्रराजम्: the king of vultures
• गृध्रराजम्: कर्म (Object/कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'king of vultures'

• जटायुषम्: Jatāyus
• जटायुषम्: कर्म (Object/कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटायुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what/why
• किम्: सम्बन्ध (interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनय-निपात (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (dative relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular; here dative 'for you' in idiom 'kim nu te' = 'what is it to you/why do you')

• रामसान्निध्ये: in Rama's presence
• रामसान्निध्ये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'in the presence of Rāma'

• सकाशे: near, in the presence
• सकाशे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (usage as indeclinable-like noun), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अर्थ: 'near, in the vicinity'

• लक्ष्मणस्य: of Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• हृता: was carried off
• हृता: कर्म (patient as subject in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), एकवचन; agrees with 'सीता'

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: कर्म (patient-subject in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशालाक्षी: large-eyed
• विशालाक्षी: विशेषण (qualifier of Sītā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: 'she whose eyes are large'

• याम्: whom
• याम्: कर्म (Object/कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृह्य: having seized
• गृह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) from √ग्रह् (variant form): 'having seized/taken'

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• बुध्यसे: you understand/realize
• बुध्यसे: क्रिया (Verb/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

Context

"When the aged and old vulture Jatayu restrained you, why did you disregard and seize broad-eyed Sita? Why did you not take her away in the presence of Rama or even Lakshmana?"

Characters & Entities

• Jaṭāyu
• Sītā
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Violating another’s spouse through force is a central adharma; it triggers rightful resistance and unavoidable consequence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa is reminded of the abduction of Sītā and his contempt for Jaṭāyu’s protection, highlighting the reckless nature of his crime.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective courage (as in Jaṭāyu’s stand) and the inviolability of marital and personal dignity upheld by dharma.