Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 27

शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः

Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release

Devanagari script

इतिप्रतिसमादिष्टौराक्षसौशुकसारणौ ।।6.25.26।।जयेतिप्रतिनन्द्यैतौराघवंधर्मवत्सलम् ।आगम्यनगरींलङ्कामब्रूतांराक्षसाधिपम् ।।6.25.27।।

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

• vibhīṣaṇa-gṛhītau: seized by Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇa-gṛhītau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa + gṛhīta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual; tatpuruṣa: 'vibhīṣaṇena gṛhītau' (instrumental relation)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (contrast/emphasis)

• vadhārthau: for execution
• vadhārthau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadha + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual; tatpuruṣa: 'vadhāya arthau' = 'for the purpose of killing'

• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: the Rakshasa lord
• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'lord of Rakshasas'

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त); 'having seen'

• dharmātmanā: by the righteous-souled (Rama)
• dharmātmanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'dharmaḥ ātmā yasya' (karmadhāraya/bahuvrīhi-like in sense, but used as adjective stem); here 'by the righteous one'

• muktau: released
• muktau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual; 'released'

• rāmeṇa: by Rama
• rāmeṇa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• amita-tejasā: of immeasurable splendor
• amita-tejasā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amita + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; karmadhāraya: 'amitaṃ tejaḥ yasya/ amita-tejas' used adjectivally for Rama

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?

Righteousness has persuasive force: dharma can elicit acknowledgment even from those aligned with adharma, reinforcing the Ramayana’s moral universe.

What is the narrative situation?

This repeats the transition: Śuka and Sāraṇa, having praised Rāma, return to Laṅkā to report to Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral stature (dharmavatsala) and the narrative emphasis on truthful reporting and diplomatic procedure.