Shloka 16

The Vision of Rāma’s Royal Capital

and the Meeting at Nandigrāma

Devanagari script

विलोक्य तादृशं भूपं प्रत्युवाच कपीश्वरः । निकटे हि पुरः प्राप्तं विद्धि रामं सलक्ष्मणम्

Transliteration

vilokya tādṛśaṃ bhūpaṃ pratyuvāca kapīśvaraḥ | nikaṭe hi puraḥ prāptaṃ viddhi rāmaṃ salakṣmaṇam

Translation

Als der Affenherr den König in solchem Zustand sah, erwiderte er: „Wisse: Rāma ist zusammen mit Lakṣmaṇa ganz nahe herangekommen—hier, direkt vor dir.“

Word by Word

• विलोक्य: having seen/observed
• विलोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having looked (at)

• तादृशम्: such, of that kind
• तादृशम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूपम्: king
• भूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect; narrative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कपीश्वरः: lord of monkeys
• कपीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कपीनाम् ईश्वरः)

• निकटे: nearby
• निकटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/हेतौ (particle: indeed/for)

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Desha-adhikarana (Spatial adverbial/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (indeclinable adverb: in front)

• प्राप्तम्: arrived, reached
• प्राप्तम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘arrived’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; अत्र ‘रामम्’ इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणरूपेण (agreeing in sense)

• विद्धि: know, understand
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सलक्ष्मणम्: together with Lakṣmaṇa
• सलक्ष्मणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सहार्थक-उपपद (sa- = with)

Speaker

Kapīśvara (Hanumān)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सलक्ष्मणम् = स + लक्ष्मणम् (सहार्थक-उपसर्गवत्).

Characters & Entities

• Kapīśvara (Hanumān)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bhūpa (the king)

FAQs

Who is the “Kapīśvara” speaking in this verse?

“Kapīśvara” means the lord of monkeys and commonly refers to Hanumān, who addresses the king after observing his condition.

What is the central message of this shloka?

It announces reassurance and immediacy: Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa have arrived nearby and are already present in front, signaling imminent help or resolution.

What ethical lesson can be drawn from this dialogue?

Even in distress, truthful and timely counsel from a loyal messenger steadies the situation—emphasizing courage, service, and clarity in communication.