Shloka 10

Devanagari script

वाक्यमप्रितकूलं तु मृदुपूर्वं हितं शुभम्।उपचारेण युक्तं च वक्तव्यो वसुधाधिपः।।3.40.10।।

Transliteration

vākyam apratikūlaṃ tu mṛdupūrvaṃ hitaṃ śubham |

upacāreṇa yuktaṃ ca vaktavyo vasudhādhipaḥ ||

Translation

A un señor de la tierra se le debe hablar con palabras no hostiles, dichas con suavidad, buscando su bienestar y su bien auspicioso, y formuladas con el debido decoro.

Word by Word

• vākyam: speech/words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• a-pratikūlam: not unfavorable
• a-pratikūlam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pratikūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vākyam

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अवधारण/विरोध)

• mṛdu-pūrvam: with gentleness first/politely
• mṛdu-pūrvam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; Accusative singular neuter functioning as adverb

• hitam: beneficial
• hitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; from √dhā ‘to place’ in sense ‘beneficial’)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vākyam

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vākyam

• upacāreṇa: with proper courtesy
• upacāreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yuktam: appropriate/connected
• yuktam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; from √yuj)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vākyam

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

• vaktavyaḥ: should be spoken/should speak
• vaktavyaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया; विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with vasudhādhipaḥ (understood: ‘should speak’)

• vasudhā-adhipaḥ: the king (lord of earth)
• vasudhā-adhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘lord of the earth’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

A king should be addressed with politeness and decorum, with words not unfavourble intended for his good luck and well-being.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca
• King (vasudhādhipa)

FAQs

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

Dharma of speech (vāk-dharma): even truthful counsel should be delivered with courtesy and restraint, especially to those in authority.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa reacts to Mārīca’s counsel and begins lecturing him on the ‘proper’ manner of addressing a king.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Measured speech and decorum (maryādā in counsel), though here it is invoked by Rāvaṇa to defend his pride.