Shloka 28

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

ततस्सभयसंविग्नस्तदाराज्ञाभिचोदितः ।वचनंप्रत्युवाचेदंराक्षसाधिपमुत्तमम् ।।6.24.27।।सागरस्योत्तरेतीरेऽब्रवंतेवचनंतथा ।यथासन्धेशमक्लिष्टंसान्त्वयन् श्लक्ष्णयागिरा ।।6.24.28।।

Transliteration

tatas sabhayasaṃvignas tadā rājñābhicoditaḥ |

vacanaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ rākṣasādhipam uttamam |

sāgarasyottare tīre 'bravaṃ te vacanaṃ tathā |

yathāsandeśam akliṣṭaṃ sāntvayan ślakṣṇayā girā ||

Translation

Entonces Suka, temeroso y estremecido, urgido por el rey, respondió al señor Rakshasa: "En la orilla norte del océano pronuncié tu mensaje tal como fue dado, suavemente y de manera tranquilizadora, sin alterarlo."

Word by Word

• sāgarasya: of the ocean
• sāgarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• uttare: on the northern
• uttare: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of tīre)

• tīre: bank/shore
• tīre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• abravam: I said/told
• abravam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (enclitic); here चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) 'to you'

• vacanam: message/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner adverb): 'thus/in that manner'

• yathā-sandeśam: as instructed
• yathā-sandeśam: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + sandeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial): 'according to the message/instructions'

• akliṣṭam: without distress
• akliṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kliṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; from √kliś)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of vacanam): 'untroubled/without strain'

• sāntvayan: consoling
• sāntvayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sāntv (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त): पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'while consoling'

• ślakṣṇayā: with gentle
• ślakṣṇayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of girā)

• girā: speech/voice
• girā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Context

Then Suka who was caught by fear, having been asked by the king, trembling away thus replied to the Rakshasa king. "I went to the northern shore of the ocean and delivered gently the speech just as it was conveyed by you."

Characters & Entities

• Suka
• Ravana
• Ocean (Sagara)

FAQs

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

A dharmic messenger preserves satya by conveying the message unchanged, and preserves peace by choosing gentle, non-provocative speech.

What is the narrative situation?

This repeats Śuka’s explanation of how he delivered Rāvaṇa’s message.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and composure under pressure.