Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 26

शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः

Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release

Devanagari script

इतिप्रतिसमादिष्टौराक्षसौशुकसारणौ ।।।।जयेतिप्रतिनन्द्यैतौराघवंधर्मवत्सलम् ।आगम्यनगरींलङ्कामब्रूतांराक्षसाधिपम् ।।।।

Transliteration

iti pratisamādiṣṭau rākṣasau śukasāraṇau | jaya iti pratinandyaitau rāghavaṃ dharmavatsalam | āgamya nagarīṃ laṅkām abrūtāṃ rākṣasādhipam ||

Translation

وهكذا، وقد تَلَقَّى الرّاكشاسان—شُوكا وسارَنا—الجوابَ والتوجيه، هتفا مُثنِيَين على راغهافا المُحِبّ للدَّهَرما قائلَين: «النصر!». ثم لما بلغا مدينةَ لَنْكا خاطبا سيِّدَ الرّاكشاسا.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति)

• prati-sam-ādiṣṭau: having been instructed in reply
• prati-sam-ādiṣṭau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-sam-ā-diś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual; 'having been instructed/commanded in return'

• rākṣasau: the two Rakshasas
• rākṣasau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• śuka-sāraṇau: Shuka and Sāraṇa
• śuka-sāraṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuka + sāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual; dvandva of two proper names

• jaya: victory
• jaya: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used as exclamation 'victory!'

• iti: thus (saying)
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• pratinandya: having praised
• pratinandya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-nand (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); 'having praised/congratulated'

• etau: these two
• etau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; refers to the two messengers

• rāghavam: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• dharma-vatsalam: fond of dharma
• dharma-vatsalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies rāghavam; tatpuruṣa: 'dharme vatsalaḥ'

• āgamya: having reached
• āgamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); 'having come/reached'

• nagarīm: the city
• nagarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to nagarīm

• abrūtām: they two said
• abrūtām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन), Parasmaipada; 'they two said'

• rākṣasa-adhipam: the lord of the Rakshasas
• rākṣasa-adhipam: Sampradāna/Karma (सम्प्रदान/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'rākṣasānām adhipaḥ'

Context

Having heard the reply of Rama, both the Rakshasas Suka and Saarana praising Rama saying, "Victory to you!" reached Lanka and said to the king of Rakshasas as follows.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• Sāraṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasādhipa (Rāvaṇa)

FAQs

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

Even opponents may recognize dharma: genuine righteousness can command respect across enemy lines, showing dharma’s universal moral authority.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Rāma’s message and being released, Śuka and Sāraṇa return to Laṅkā and report to Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-centered reputation (dharmavatsala) that compels even adversaries to acknowledge his nobility.