Shloka 31

सुग्रीवस्य वैरानुकथनम्

Sugriva’s Account of Enmity and Appeal to Rama

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्स तेजस्वी धर्मज्ञो धर्मसंहितम्।वचनं वक्तुमारेभे सुग्रीवं प्रहसन्निव।।

Transliteration

evam uktas sa tejasvī dharmajño dharmasaṃhitam | vacanaṃ vaktum ārebhe sugrīvaṃ prahasann iva ||

Translation

So angesprochen begann der ruhmreiche Rāma, Kenner des Dharma, zu Sugrīva Worte zu sprechen, die der Rechtschaffenheit entsprachen, gleichsam mit einem sanften Lächeln.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• uktaḥ: having been spoken/addressed
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tejasvī: glorious
• tejasvī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tejasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dharmajñaḥ: knower of dharma
• dharmajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: dharma (righteousness) + jña (knowing)

• dharma-saṃhitam: in accordance with righteousness
• dharma-saṃhitam: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier of vacanam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma+saṃhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘in accordance with dharma’

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• ārebhe: began
• ārebhe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rabh (रभ् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• sugrīvam: Sugrīva
• sugrīvam: Karma (कर्म/Person addressed as object of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• prahasan: smiling/laughing
• prahasan: Karta (कर्ता/Concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: has (हस् धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमा-निपात)

Context

Having thus addressed by Sugriva the righteous and glorious Rama with a gentle smile consistent with righteousness, started speaking:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed through speech that is both truthful and beneficial; righteous leadership begins with measured, principled words.

What is the narrative situation?

After hearing Sugrīva’s plea, Rāma prepares to respond, and the narrator frames his reply as dharma-consistent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s calm moral clarity: he responds without agitation, guiding action through dharmic counsel.