Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 87, Shloka 20

न्यग्रोध

प्रवेश-निवारणम् (Preventing Indrajit’s Banyan-Tree Rite) / Indrajit Confronts Vibhishana

Devanagari script

न रमेदारुणेनाहं न चाधर्मेणवैरमे ।।6.87.20।।भ्रात्राविषशीलोऽपिकथंभ्रातानिरस्यते ।

Transliteration

na rame dāruṇenāhaṃ na cādharmena vairame || 6.87.20 || bhrātrā viṣaśīlo 'pi kathaṃ bhrātā nirasyate |

Translation

Ich finde kein Gefallen an Grausamkeit und erfreue mich nicht am Adharma. Selbst wenn ein Bruder feindseliger Natur ist — wie könnte ein Bruder den anderen verstoßen?

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• rame: I delight
• rame: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• dāruṇena: in cruelty/with cruelty
• dāruṇena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg); साधन/सहचर्ये

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• adharmeṇa: in unrighteousness
• adharmeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/emphatic particle)

• rame: I delight
• rame: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhrātrā: by a brother
• bhrātrā: Kartr-karana (कर्ता/agent in passive with ‘nirasyate’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

• viṣaśīlaḥ: of poisonous/hostile nature
• viṣaśīlaḥ: Karta (कर्ता, of ‘bhrātā’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg); कर्मधारयः (viṣaṃ śīlaṃ yasya / viṣa-śīlaḥ)

• api: even if
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-शब्दः (even/also)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (how)

• bhrātā: a brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg)

• nirasyate: is cast out
• nirasyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Context

Thereafter Vibheeshana followed Lakshmana for a small distance to the forest and showed him What to do.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa (implied as the brother who expelled)
• Indrajit (Meghanāda)

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects cruelty and adharma; it also upholds familial responsibility—expelling a brother is portrayed as morally troubling even amid conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa defends himself against blame, stating he does not act from cruelty, and questions the justice of Ravana’s rejection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dayā (compassion) and restraint—refusal to enjoy violence or unrighteous conduct.