Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 20

दधिमुख

विज्ञापनम् / Dadhimukha Reports the Madhuvana Incident

Devanagari script

अङ्गदप्रमुखैर्वीरैर्हतं मधुवनं किल।।5.63.20।।वारयन्तश्च सहितास्तदा जानुभिराहताः।

Transliteration

aṅgadapramukhair vīrair hataṃ madhuvanaṃ kila | vārayantaś ca sahitās tadā jānubhir āhatāḥ ||

Translation

Es heißt, Madhuvana sei von den Helden unter Aṅgadas Führung verwüstet worden; und als die Wächter sie gemeinsam aufhalten wollten, wurden sie durch Kniehiebe niedergeworfen.

Word by Word

• अङ्गद-प्रमुखैः: by those led by Angada
• अङ्गद-प्रमुखैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; अङ्गदः प्रमुखः येषां ते (अङ्गदप्रमुखाः) = 'with Angada as leader' (instrumental plural)

• वीरैः: by heroes
• वीरैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• हतम्: destroyed
• हतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'having been struck/destroyed'

• मधुवनम्: the Madhu-grove
• मधुवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मधोः वनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — hearsay/emphasis

• वारयन्तः: (while) restraining
• वारयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकालिक कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'obstructing/trying to restrain'

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सहिताः: together
• सहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'together/along with (others)'

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• जानुभिः: with (their) knees
• जानुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• आहताः: were struck/beaten
• आहताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'having been struck'

Characters & Entities

• Dadhimukha
• Aṅgada
• Madhuvana
• Vānaras

FAQs

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

Dharma includes accountability: even allies must report excesses truthfully, and force used against rightful guardians raises questions requiring just review.

What is the narrative situation?

Dadhimukha reports that Aṅgada’s party devastated Madhuvana and assaulted those who attempted to stop them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful testimony—Dadhimukha narrates events plainly despite the offenders’ prominence.