Shloka 42

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः

Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity

Devanagari script

सुखं हि कारणं श्रुत्वा वैरस्य तव वानर।अनन्तरं विधास्यामि सम्प्रधार्य बलाबलम्।।

Transliteration

sukhaṁ hi kāraṇaṁ śrutvā vairasya tava vānara |

anantaram vidhāsyāmi sampradhārya balābalam ||

Translation

O Vānara, nachdem ich den Grund deiner Feindschaft gehört und Stärke wie Schwäche erwogen habe, werde ich sogleich handeln, um dein Wohl zu sichern.

Word by Word

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; object-complement (accusative of result)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/causal nuance

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of hearing

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having heard’

• वैरस्य: of enmity
• वैरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive dependent of ‘cause’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun

• वानर: O monkey
• वानर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• अनन्तरम्: thereafter
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), temporal: ‘thereafter’

• विधास्यामि: I will arrange/do
• विधास्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि-
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्प्रधार्य: having assessed
• सम्प्रधार्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having considered/assessed’

• बलाबलम्: strength and weakness
• बलाबलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara): ‘strength and weakness’

Context

'On hearing about your humiliation I feel highly agitated at heart. I feel very much angry and restless like the water in rainy season.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma balances compassion with prudence: Rāma promises help, but only after truthful hearing and careful assessment, ensuring righteous and effective action.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma commits to assisting Sugrīva, stating he will decide the course after learning the background and evaluating capabilities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsible leadership—acting for another’s good with strategic discernment rather than impulse.