Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

चारेणविदितश्शत्रुःपण्डितैर्वसुधाधिपैः ।युद्धेस्वल्पेनयत्नेनसमासाद्यनिरस्यते ।।।।

Transliteration

cāreṇa viditaḥ śatruḥ paṇḍitair vasudhādhipaiḥ | yuddhe svalpena yatnena samāsādya nirasyate ||

Translation

„Weise Herrscher, die den Feind durch Späher erkennen, können ihm im Krieg begegnen und ihn mit geringem Aufwand zurückdrängen.“

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• स्वपिति: sleeps
• स्वपिति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जागर्ति: wakes/is awake
• जागर्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जागृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म (Object; with kariṣyati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of kim)

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

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विज्ञाय: having learned
• विज्ञाय: पूर्वकाल क्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having ascertained/known’

• निपुणम्: accurately
• निपुणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निपुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of sarvam)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: कर्म (Object of vijñāya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगन्तव्यम्: you must return/come
• आगन्तव्यम्: विधेय/आज्ञा (Injunctive obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √गम् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—‘should be come/you must come’ (impersonal obligation)

• अशेषतः: completely
• अशेषतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/सम्पूर्णतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण

Context

"You may see how he goes to sleep, how he wakes up etc., what he does, everything. You may come after knowing everything."

Characters & Entities

• Spies (cāra)
• Enemy (śatru) (contextually: Rāma’s side)

FAQs

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

It teaches that knowledge reduces needless violence and waste; dharma in statecraft prefers informed action over blind aggression—though here the teaching is used for an unjust aim.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa motivates the spies by citing a maxim of governance: intelligence enables efficient victory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Pragmatic wisdom in governance (nīti): using information to minimize effort and uncertainty.