Shloka 12

मैत्रीप्रतिष्ठा

Rama–Sugriva Alliance and Fire-Rite of Friendship

Devanagari script

रोचते यदि वा सख्यं बाहुरेष प्रसारितः।गृह्यतां पाणिना पाणिर्मर्यादा बध्यतां ध्रुवा4.5.12।।

Transliteration

rocate yadi vā sakhyaṁ bāhur eṣa prasāritaḥ |

gṛhyatāṁ pāṇinā pāṇir maryādā badhyatāṁ dhruvā || 4.5.12 ||

Translation

Si cette amitié te plaît, voici mon bras tendu ; prends ma main dans la tienne et qu'un lien ferme de conduite appropriée soit établi entre nous.

Word by Word

• रोचते: is pleasing / is acceptable
• रोचते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; भावे/कर्तरि: "is pleasing/approved"

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• वा: or / indeed
• वा: विकल्प (Option)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive/optional particle)

• सख्यम्: friendship
• सख्यम्: कर्ता (Kartā; subject of rocate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/भाव), एकवचन; रोचते इत्यस्य कर्तृस्थानी (what is pleasing)

• बाहुः: arm
• बाहुः: कर्ता (Kartā; subject in second clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एषः: this
• एषः: विशेषण (Appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश (deictic)

• प्रसारितः: stretched out
• प्रसारितः: क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "stretched out"

• गृह्यताम्: let (it) be taken
• गृह्यताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः: "let (it) be taken"

• पाणिना: by (your) hand
• पाणिना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• पाणिः: hand
• पाणिः: कर्म (Karma; thing to be taken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मर्यादा: boundary / covenant / rule
• मर्यादा: कर्म (Karma; thing to be bound/established)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बध्यताम्: let (it) be bound/confirmed
• बध्यताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि: "let (it) be bound/established"

• ध्रुवा: firm
• ध्रुवा: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of मर्यादा)

Context

Rama became very happy to hear Sugriva's warm words and pressed his hand with his. Delighted, he went close to Sugriva and hugged him tightly and affectionately.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma is friendship regulated by maryādā—an alliance is not just emotion but a vow bounded by ethical restraint and reliability.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva formally offers friendship to Rāma through the gesture of extending his arm and inviting a handclasp that signifies commitment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trustworthiness and respect for norms: Sugrīva seeks a ‘dhruvā maryādā’—a stable, principled bond rather than a temporary pact.