Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

यश्चैषोऽनन्तरश्शूरश्श्यामःपद्मनिभेक्षणः ।इक्ष्वाकूणामतिरथोलोकेविख्यातपौरुष ।।6.28.18।।यस्मिन्नचलतेधर्मोयोधर्मंनातिवर्तते ।योब्राह्ममस्त्रंवेदांश्चवेदवेदविदांवरः ।।6.28.19।।योभिन्द्याद्गगनंबाणैःपर्वतांश्चापिदारयेत् ।यस्यमृत्योरिवक्रोधश्शक्रस्येवपराक्रमः ।।6.28.20।।यस्यभार्याजनस्थानात्सीताचापिहृतात्वया ।सएषरामस्त्वांयोद्धुंराजन्समभिवर्तते ।।6.28.21।।

Transliteration

yaś caiṣo 'nantaraś śūraḥ śyāmaḥ padmanibhekṣaṇaḥ |

ikṣvākūṇām atiratho loke vikhyātapauruṣaḥ ||6.28.18||

yasminn acalate dharmo yo dharmaṃ nātivartate |

yo brāhmam astraṃ vedāṃś ca veda vedavidāṃ varaḥ ||6.28.19||

yo bhindyād gaganaṃ bāṇaiḥ parvatāṃś cāpi dārayet |

yasya mṛtyor iva krodhaḥ śakrasy eva parākramaḥ ||6.28.20||

yasya bhāryā janasthānāt sītā cāpi hṛtā tvayā |

sa eṣa rāmas tvāṃ yoddhuṃ rājan samabhivartate ||6.28.21||

Translation

Und nahe bei ihm steht jener heldenhafte Krieger—dunkel von Farbe, lotusäugig—ein unvergleichlicher Wagenkämpfer aus dem Geschlecht der Ikṣvāku, in der Welt berühmt für seine Manneskraft. In ihm steht das Dharma unbeweglich fest; er überschreitet die Rechtschaffenheit nicht. Er kennt die von Brahmā verordneten Waffen und die Veden, der Vornehmste unter den Kennern heiliger Erkenntnis. Mit seinen Pfeilen könnte er den Himmel durchbohren und selbst Berge spalten; sein Zorn ist wie der Tod selbst, und seine Tapferkeit wie die Indras. Seine Gemahlin Sītā hast du aus Jana-sthāna geraubt—das ist eben jener Rāma, o König, der nun heranrückt, um mit dir zu kämpfen.

Word by Word

yaḥwho

caand

eṣaḥthis (one)

anantaraḥnot far / immediately following

śūraḥhero

śyāmaḥdark-complexioned

padma-nibha-īkṣaṇaḥwhose eyes are like lotuses

ikṣvākūṇāmof the Ikṣvāku dynasty

atirathaḥa great chariot-warrior

lokein the world

vikhyāta-pauruṣaḥwhose valor is renowned

Context

"This monkey is intending to demolish this Lanka single handed. How can you forget about (the task of) setting his tail on fire entrusted by you to Dhoomakethu?"

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Rāvaṇa

Sītā

Jana-sthāna

Ikṣvāku dynasty

Indra (Śakra)

Brahmā (implied by brāhma-astra)

Vedas

FAQs

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

Rāma is presented as dharma-incarnate in conduct: steadfast righteousness, self-restraint, and legitimacy of action—his war is framed as a dharmic response to adharma (Sītā’s abduction).

What is the narrative situation?

Śuka identifies Rāma to Rāvaṇa and warns him that the very man whose wife was abducted is now approaching Laṅkā to wage war.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s unwavering dharma (non-transgression of righteousness), combined with heroic capability—power governed by moral law.