Shloka 41

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः

Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वैतद्वचनं रामस्सुग्रीवमिदमब्रवीत्।किं निमित्तमभूद्वैरं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः।।

Transliteration

śrutvaitad vacanaṁ rāmaḥ sugrīvam idam abravīt |

kiṁ nimittam abhūd vairaṁ śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ ||

Translation

Als Rāma diese Worte hörte, sprach er zu Sugrīva: „Aus welchem Grund entstand diese Feindschaft? Ich wünsche die Wahrheit darüber vollständig zu hören.“

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• सुग्रीवम्: Sugriva
• सुग्रीवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• इदम्: this (statement)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (what/why)

• निमित्तम्: cause/reason
• निमित्तम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• अभूत्: was/arose
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• वैरम्: enmity
• वैरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. Singular; here as subject-complement with अभूत्)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (1st person singular)

• तत्त्वतः: in truth
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: truly/in reality)

Context

'On hearing the cause of your enmity and considering your strength and weakness, I will take steps to make you happy.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vāli (implied: the enmity)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires informed judgment: Rāma insists on hearing the truth (satya) before acting, aligning power with ethical deliberation.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sugrīva’s plea, Rāma asks for the real cause of the conflict so he can respond appropriately.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment and commitment to truth—seeking facts before intervention.