Shloka 29

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः

Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity

Devanagari script

एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं बाष्पदूषितलोचनः।बाष्पोपहतया वाचा नोच्चैश्शक्नोति भाषितुम्।।

Transliteration

etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ bāṣpa-dūṣita-locanaḥ | bāṣpopahatayā vācā noccaiḥ śaknoti bhāṣitum ||

Translation

N’ayant dit que cela, les yeux voilés de larmes, la voix étouffée par les sanglots, il ne put plus parler à haute voix.

Word by Word

• bāṣpa-vegam: rush of tears
• bāṣpa-vegam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṣpa + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular; tatpuruṣa: bāṣpasya vegaḥ (rush of tears)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kāla/Prakāra (काल/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• nadī-vegam: a river’s rush
• nadī-vegam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular; object of comparison (upamāna)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-vācaka avyaya

• āgatam: having arisen/come
• āgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) from √gam (गम्) with ā-; Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; agrees with bāṣpa-vegam (treated as neuter in participial agreement in some recensions; here understood as ‘having come/risen’)

• dhārayāmāsa: held back
• dhārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद, आमास-प्रयोग), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; causative sense ‘held back’

• dhairyeṇa: with patience
• dhairyeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhairya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3), Singular

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugrīva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• rāma-sannidhau: in Rāma’s presence
• rāma-sannidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7), Singular; tatpuruṣa: rāmasya sannidhiḥ (presence of Rāma)

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma includes compassion toward the grieving; recognizing another’s suffering is the ethical basis for protective, righteous action.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva becomes overwhelmed while speaking to Rāma; the narration marks an emotional pause before further explanation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugrīva’s genuine emotional truthfulness; the scene also invites Rāma-like empathy from the listener.