Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 9

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

तस्मात्प्रसीद शत्रुघ्न राक्षसेन्द्र दुरासद।युक्तायुक्तं विनिश्चित्य दूतदण्डो विधीयताम्।।।।

Transliteration

tasmāt prasīda śatrughna rākṣasendra durāsada |

yuktāyuktaṃ viniścitya dūtadaṇḍo vidhīyatām ||

Translation

لذلك اهدأ، يا قاهر الأعداء، يا ملك الراكشاسا الذي يصعب مهاجمته. بعد الحكم على ما هو لائق وما هو غير لائق، ليتم تقرير عقوبة مناسبة للمبعوث.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (ablatival adverb): ‘therefore/from that reason’

• prasīda: be calm/be pleased
• prasīda: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śatrughna: O slayer of foes
• śatrughna: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru-ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शत्रून् हन्ति = slayer of foes)

• rākṣasendra: O king of rakshasas
• rākṣasendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• durāsada: O unassailable one
• durāsada: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur-āsada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दुरासदः = hard to assail)

• yukta-ayuktam: what is proper and improper
• yukta-ayuktam: Karma (कर्म/Object of viniścitya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त, √yuj) + ayukta (कृदन्त, √yuj with a-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (युक्तं च अयुक्तं च = proper and improper)

• viniścitya: having determined
• viniścitya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-√ci (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): ‘having ascertained/decided’

• dūta-daṇḍaḥ: punishment for the envoy
• dūta-daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; subject of vidhīyatām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दूतस्य दण्डः = punishment for the envoy)

• vidhīyatām: let (it) be imposed
• vidhīyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धातु) with वि-; कर्मणि (passive)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/Optative-like in passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग: ‘let it be imposed’

Context

"You are conversant with dharma of a king. You have a sense of gratitude. You are a knower of right and wrong of all beings. the supeme truth.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• dūta (envoy/messenger)

FAQs

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

Justice must be deliberative and proportionate: punishment should follow careful discrimination of what is right and wrong, not personal fury.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa proposes a lawful, measured response to Hanumān’s role as messenger rather than execution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fair-minded governance—Vibhīṣaṇa promotes due process and ethical statecraft.