Shloka 6.25.6
शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः (Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release)
भवन्तौवानरंसैन्यंप्रविश्यानुपलक्षितौ ।परिमाणंचवीर्यंचयेचमुख्याःप्लवङ्घमाः ।।6.25.4।।मन्त्रिणोयेचरामस्यसुग्रीवस्यचसम्मता: ।येपूर्वमभिवर्तन्तेयेचशूराःप्लवङ्गमाः ।।6.25.5।।सचसेतुर्यथाबद्धस्सागरेसलिलार्णवे ।निवेशंचयधातेषांवानराणांमहात्मनाम् ।।6.25.6।।रामस्यव्यवसायंचवीर्यंप्रहरणानिच ।लक्ष्मणस्यचवीर्यंतत्त्वतोज्ञातुमर्हथः ।।6.25.7।।
sa ca setur yathā baddhaḥ sāgare salilārṇave |
niveśaṃ ca yathā teṣāṃ vānarāṇāṃ mahātmanām ||6.25.6||
“Find out how that bridge has been built across the ocean—this vast expanse of waters—and also learn the encampment and dispositions of those great-souled Vānaras.”
"Both of you enter Vanara's army without their knowledge and know about the size of the army, of Rama and Sugriva's ministers, of army chiefs who are in the forefront, of the warriors, how they have built bridge in the middle of the sea, about the location of Vanaras and in the same way the efforts and valour of heroes Rama and Lakshmana, I ought to know truly."
The verse highlights a ruler’s duty of prudent governance: before acting, one must seek accurate knowledge of conditions (here, the bridge and troop dispositions). Ethical statecraft in the epic is tied to truthful assessment (satya-based intelligence) rather than reckless impulse.
In Laṅkā, Rāvaṇa orders his agents Śuka and Sāraṇa to enter the Vānara camp unnoticed and report strategic details—especially how the sea-bridge was constructed and how the Vānaras are stationed.
Strategic discernment and thoroughness in leadership—insisting on concrete, verifiable information about terrain, engineering (the setu), and troop placement before making decisions.