Shloka 71

Devanagari script

अर्थिनामुपपन्नानां पूर्वं चाप्युपकारिणाम्।आशां संश्रुत्य यो हन्ति स लोके पुरुषाधमः।।

Transliteration

arthinām upapannānāṃ pūrvaṃ cāpy upakāriṇām |

āśāṃ saṃśrutya yo hanti sa loke puruṣādhamaḥ ||

Translation

Quien, tras dar esperanza con una promesa al que viene a pedir auxilio—y más aún a un antiguo bienhechor—luego frustra esa esperanza, es el más vil de los hombres en este mundo.

Word by Word

अर्थिनाम्of supplicants

उपपन्नानाम्who have approached

पूर्वम्formerly

चand

अपिalso

उपकारिणाम्of benefactors

आशाम्hope

संश्रुत्यhaving promised

यःwho

हन्तिdestroys / disappoints

सःhe

लोकेin the world

पुरुषाधमःlowest of men

Context

'He who, having promised to his friend to grant his desire and who, having been obliged, fails to implement the promise, is the lowest on earth.

Characters & Entities

Rama

Lakshmana

Sugriva (implied as the promise-breaker)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires honoring assurances given to those who seek refuge or help—especially to prior benefactors; breaking such pledged hope is adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana, distressed by delay in searching for Sita, condemns the moral baseness of breaking a promised commitment (aimed at Sugriva’s inaction).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and gratitude—standing by one’s pledged word to those who have helped you.