Shloka 21

शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp

Devanagari script

कथंस्वपितिजागर्तिकिमन्यच्चकरिष्यति ।विज्ञायनिपुणंसर्वमागन्तव्यमशेषतः ।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ svapiti jāgarti kim anyac ca kariṣyati | vijñāya nipuṇaṃ sarvam āgantavyam aśeṣataḥ ||

Translation

«Ved cómo duerme y cómo vela, y qué más piensa hacer; averiguadlo todo con destreza, por completo, y luego regresad.»

Word by Word

• इतः: from here
• इतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (ablatival adverb)

• गच्छत: go
• गच्छत: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• व्यवसायम्: intention/plan
• व्यवसायम्: कर्म (Object of parīkṣatha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवसाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परीक्षथ: observe/examine
• परीक्षथ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मन्त्रिषु: among the ministers
• मन्त्रिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location: ‘among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अभ्यन्तराः: intimate/inner-circle
• अभ्यन्तराः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ye)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ये: who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of samāgatāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive: ‘of him’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause: ‘out of affection’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तेन: with him
• तेन: सह/सम्बन्ध (Association: ‘with him’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समागताः: have assembled
• समागताः: क्रिया (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used in active sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘have come/assembled’

Context

"From here you go and reach there you may observe perceptions of Rama and of others close to him, his ministers and those who have reached there in affection to him."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Spies (cāra)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It emphasizes thorough knowledge before action; in dharmic terms, decisions should be grounded in truth (satya) and careful verification, not rumor or impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa instructs spies to collect comprehensive intelligence on Rāma’s routines and intentions and report back.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Meticulousness and completeness in inquiry—an aspect of practical wisdom (nipuṇatā), regardless of the user’s moral standing.