Shloka 3

सम्पातिवाक्यम्

Sampāti’s Counsel and the Revelation of Laṅkā

Devanagari script

वृद्धभावादपक्षत्वाच्छृण्वंस्तदपि मर्षये।न हि मे शक्तिरस्त्यद्य भ्रातुर्वैरविमोक्षणे।।4.58.3।।

Transliteration

vṛddhabhāvād apakṣatvāc chṛṇvaṃs tad api marṣaye |

na hi me śaktir asty adya bhrātur vaira-vimokṣaṇe || 4.58.3 ||

Translation

Selbst wenn ich davon höre, kann ich es nur ertragen; denn jetzt fehlt mir, wegen des Alters und der Flügellosigkeit, die Kraft, meines Bruders Fehde zu sühnen.

Word by Word

• vṛddha-bhāvāt: due to old age
• vṛddha-bhāvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana, Puṃliṅga; tatpuruṣa 'state of old age' (वृद्धस्य भावः)

• apakṣatvāt: because of having no wings
• apakṣatvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-pakṣa-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana, Napuṃsakaliṅga; tatpuruṣa with privative a- + pakṣa + tva: 'winglessness'

• chṛṇvan: hearing
• chṛṇvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana, Puṃliṅga; 'while hearing'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana, Napuṃsakaliṅga; object of chṛṇvan

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), concessive

• marṣaye: I endure
• marṣaye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st/उत्तमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; 'I endure/forgive'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta (negation)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle) giving emphasis/reason ('indeed/for')

• me: my/to me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th) or Caturthī (4th), Ekavacana; enclitic; here genitive with śaktiḥ

• śaktiḥ: power/ability
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana, Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग); subject of asti

• asti: exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• adya: now/today
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (time adverb/काल-अव्यय)

• bhrātuḥ: of (my) brother
• bhrātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana, Puṃliṅga

• vaira-vimokṣaṇe: in avenging (the enmity)
• vaira-vimokṣaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक) + vimokṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana, Napuṃsakaliṅga; tatpuruṣa: 'release/settlement of enmity' i.e., 'avenging'

Context

'The city has golden gates, golden platforms, huge, golden-coloured, uniformly built mansions surrounded by a tall boundary wall of the colour of sunlight.

Characters & Entities

• Sampāti
• brother (Jaṭāyu, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is truthful self-assessment and restraint: Sampāti acknowledges his limits (age, lack of wings) and refuses rash vengeance that he cannot righteously accomplish.

What is the narrative situation?

Sampāti, hearing about his brother’s fate, speaks to the vānara searchers and admits he cannot avenge his brother due to his physical incapacity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and realism (ātma-jñāna): the capacity to accept one’s condition and not let grief drive one into futile or unethical action.