Shloka 16

शुकवाक्यं (Śuka’s Report on the Vānara Host) / Śuka Describes the Allied Forces to Rāvaṇa

Devanagari script

सत्यमागमयोगेनममैषविदितोहरिः ।नास्यशक्यंबलंरूपंप्रभावोवाऽपिभाषितम् ।।6.28.16।।

Transliteration

satyam āgamayogena mama eṣa vidito hariḥ |

nāsya śakyaṃ balaṃ rūpaṃ prabhāvo vā'pi bhāṣitam ||6.28.16||

Translation

Wahrlich, durch zuverlässige Überlieferung habe ich diesen Vānara erkannt; weder seine Kraft noch seine Gestalt noch auch seine Macht lässt sich angemessen in Worte fassen.

Word by Word

• satyam: truly
• satyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे नपुंसक-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative; ‘truly’)

• āgama-yogena: by (our) association/connection
• āgama-yogena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgama + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण; ‘by association/connection (āgama-yoga)’

• mama: of me / to me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ

• viditaḥ: known
• viditaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate ‘is known’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vidita (प्रातिपदिक; √vid ‘to know’ से क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• hariḥ: the monkey (Hari)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ (apposition to eṣaḥ)

• na: not
• na: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• śakyam: possible
• śakyam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; √śak से यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय विशेषण; ‘possible’

• balam: strength
• balam: Karma (कर्म; of ‘to describe’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विषय (enumerated)

• rūpam: form/appearance
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विषय

• prabhāvaḥ: might/glory
• prabhāvaḥ: Karma (कर्म; as item to be described)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विषय

• vā: or
• vā: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive ‘or’)

• api: even
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (‘even’)

• bhāṣitam: described/said
• bhāṣitam: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √bhāṣ से क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘spoken/described’ (with implied ‘is’)

Context

"By falling on the mountain one of the jaws of the monkey got broken. This is the reason that he is known as Hanuman."

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Satya in counsel: knowledge should rest on dependable testimony, not rumor; dharma-driven leadership depends on credible information.

What is the narrative situation?

Śuka emphasizes that his assessment of Hanumān is grounded in trustworthy intelligence and that Hanumān’s power defies easy description.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s extraordinary potency; and, on Śuka’s side, integrity in reporting—speaking only what is responsibly known.