Shloka 15

शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तौतुसव्रीळौतावुभौशुकसारणौ ।रावणंजयशब्देनप्रतिनन्द्याभिनिस्सृतौ ।।।।

Transliteration

evam uktau tu savrīḷau tāv ubhau śuka-sāraṇau | rāvaṇaṃ jaya-śabdena pratinandyābhinissṛtau ||

Translation

So angesprochen, schämten sich beide — Śuka und Sāraṇa; nachdem sie Rāvaṇa mit dem Ruf „Sieg!“ bejubelt hatten, zogen sie sich zurück und gingen davon.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• उक्तौ: having been spoken to / addressed
• उक्तौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तौ-विशेषणम्

• तु: then/but
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अन्वय/विरोध

• सव्रीळौ: ashamed
• सव्रीळौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्रीळ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (व्रीळा अस्य/ययोः अस्ति = having shame); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तौ-विशेषणम्

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• शुकसारणौ: Suka and Sāraṇa
• शुकसारणौ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक + सारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (शुकः च सारणः च); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• रावणम्: Rāvaṇa
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• जयशब्देन: with the cry of victory
• जयशब्देन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जयस्य शब्दः); तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• प्रतिनन्द्य: having congratulated/cheered
• प्रतिनन्द्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√नन्द् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund/ल्यबन्त)

• अभिनिस्सृतौ: went out/withdrew
• अभिनिस्सृतौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नि-निस्√सृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; (तौ)

Context

Ravana, having spoken that way, both Suka and Saarana felt shy and withdrew from speaking words of praise of Ravana saying, 'Let you be victorious'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śuka
• Sāraṇa

FAQs

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

It highlights moral discomfort (lajjā) when one is compelled to align speech with an unrighteous cause—praise offered as mere formality cannot erase inner shame.

What is the narrative situation?

After being addressed by Rāvaṇa, the envoys/spies Śuka and Sāraṇa offer a conventional victory-salute and then withdraw.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A latent conscience: even agents serving power show an awareness of impropriety through shame, suggesting an inner pull toward truth (satya).