Valmiki Ramayana 6.30.16 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 30, Shloka 16

शार्दूलचरवृत्तान्तः

Saardula’s Spy-Report on Rama’s Camp and the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वामहातेजारावणःपुनरब्रवीत् ।चरिताभवतासेनाकेऽत्रशूराःप्लवङ्गमाः ।।6.30.16।।

Transliteration

evam uktvā mahātejā rāvaṇaḥ punar abravīt | caritā bhavatā senā ke 'tra śūrāḥ plavaṅgamāḥ ||6.30.16||

Translation

এইদৰে কৈ মহাতেজস্বী ৰাৱণে পুনৰ ক’লে: ‘তই তেওঁলোকৰ সেনাৰ মাজত ঘূৰি ফুৰিছ—ইয়াত প্লৱঙ্গমসকলৰ মাজত শূৰ কোন কোন?’

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय; ‘thus/in this manner’

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having spoken’

• महातेजाः: the mighty one
• महातेजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet of रावणः

• रावणः: Ravana
• रावणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय; ‘again’

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘said’

• चरिता: has moved about
• चरिता: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चरित (चर् धातु + क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of सेना; ‘has moved/has been deployed’

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Kartṛ (कर्ता) (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सम्मानार्थ सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; agent/instrument ‘by you’

• सेना: the army
• सेना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of implied verb (अस्ति) with चरिता

• के: who
• के: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; interrogative ‘who?’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; ‘here’

• शूराः: heroes
• शूराः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate nominative with के

• प्लवङ्गमाः: monkeys (vanaras)
• प्लवङ्गमाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; apposition to शूराः

Context

"Gentle Saardula! Of those who are difficult to encounter, what is their description? Who are the powerful ones among them? Whose sons and grandsons, are they? You may speak."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śārdūla
• Vānaras (plavaṅgamāḥ)
• army (senā)

FAQs

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

Even in conflict, dharma values informed decision-making: assessing opponents realistically is part of responsible command, though it should serve a just cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa interrogates his spy about the Vānara army’s capable fighters after refusing to return Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical prudence: gathering specific intelligence about adversaries before engaging in battle.