Shloka 6.30.3

शार्दूलचरवृत्तान्तः (Saardula’s Spy-Report on Rama’s Camp and the Vanara Host)

Devanagari script

अयथावच्चतेवर्णोदीनश्चासिनिशाचर ।नासिकच्चिदमित्राणांक्रुद्धानांवशमागतः ।।6.30.3।।

Transliteration

ayathāvac ca te varṇo dīnaś cāsi niśācara |

nāsi kaccid amitrāṇāṁ kruddhānāṁ vaśam āgataḥ ||6.30.3||

Translation

O night-roamer, your complexion is not as it should be, and you appear distressed. Tell me—have you, by any chance, fallen into the power of angry enemies?

Context

"O Forest ranger! Your face is not as it should be and also pitiable. Hope the angry enemies have not done anything to you."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śārdūla

FAQs

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

A ruler’s dharma includes vigilance and responsibility for intelligence-gathering; Ravana notices his agent’s distress and probes whether the messenger has been compromised by enemies.

What is the narrative situation?

In the war-camp context, Ravana questions Śārdūla, who has returned shaken, asking whether hostile forces have captured or coerced him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alertness and political prudence (rāja-nīti): reading signs (a messenger’s demeanor) and verifying the reliability of information.