Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 17
दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः
Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka
वानरैःपीड्यमानस्तुशुकोवचनमब्रवीत् ।नदूतान्घ्नन्तिकाकुत्स्थ वार्यन्तांसाधुवानराः ।।।।
vānaraiḥ pīḍyamānas tu śuko vacanam abravīt |
na dūtān ghnanti kākutstha vāryantāṃ sādhu vānarāḥ ||
Von den Vānaras bedrängt, sprach Śuka: „O Rāma aus dem Geschlecht der Kakutsthas, Boten darf man nicht töten; man halte diese Vānaras rechtmäßig zurück.“
"The envoy who puts aside the king's opinion and expresses his own opinion, which has not been said by the king ought to be killed."
FAQs
Dharma of warfare includes immunity for duly appointed envoys; harming a messenger is condemned as a breach of righteous conduct.
Captured and attacked, Śuka appeals to Rāma by invoking the traditional rule protecting messengers.
Appeal to lawful norms (maryādā) even under threat—Śuka seeks protection through established dharma.