Shloka 14

युद्धकाण्डे द्वितीयः सर्गः — Sugriva’s Counsel: From Grief to Strategy

Bridge to Lanka

Devanagari script

तदलंविक्लबांबुद्धिम् राजन सर्वार्थनाशनीम् ।पुरुषस्यहिलोकेऽस्मिन् शोकश्शौर्यापकर्षणः ।।।।

Transliteration

tad alaṃ viklabāṃ buddhiṃ rājan sarvārtha-nāśinīm |

puruṣasya hi loke 'smin śokaḥ śauryāpakarṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Ainsi, ô roi, renonce à cet esprit chancelant qui détruit toute fin; car en ce monde le chagrin amoindrit la vaillance de l’homme.

Word by Word

• tat: therefore/so
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), discourse particle/adverbial: "therefore/so"

• alam: enough; cease
• alam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: alam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), prohibitive/cessative particle: "enough, stop"

• viklabām: agitated, distraught
• viklabām: Karma (कर्म/direct object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viklaba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); adjective qualifying "buddhim"

• buddhim: mind, understanding
• buddhim: Karma (कर्म/direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• sarvārthanāśanīm: destroying all purposes
• sarvārthanāśanīm: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + artha + nāśanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: sarvārtha-nāśanī = "destroyer of all aims/things"; adjective qualifying "buddhim"

• puruṣasya: of a man
• puruṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic/causal particle

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th), Ekavacana; demonstrative used adjectivally with "loke"

• śokaḥ: sorrow
• śokaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• śauryāpakarṣaṇaḥ: that which diminishes valor
• śauryāpakarṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaurya + apakarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: śaurya-apakarṣaṇa = "diminisher of valor"; predicate adjective of "śokaḥ"

Context

"O king, therefore enough of this agitated feeling which destroys everything. In this world the valiance of man is lost if he is sorrowful."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (implied as 'rājan' in counsel)
• Grief (Śoka)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires inner governance: a leader must restrain grief so that righteous duty and protection of others are not compromised.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is being urged to steady himself emotionally as the campaign against Laṅkā approaches its decisive phase.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control (ātma-nigraha): mastery over sorrow to preserve courage and clarity.