Shloka 20

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

Bridge to Lanka

Devanagari script

तदलंशोकमालम्ब्यक्रोधमालम्बभूपते ।निश्चेष्टाःक्षत्रियामन्दास्सर्वेचण्डस्यबिभ्यति ।।।।

Transliteration

tad alaṃ śokam ālambya krodham ālamba bhūpate | niśceṣṭāḥ kṣatriyā mandāḥ sarve caṇḍasya bibhyati ||

Translation

Ô seigneur de la terre, assez de t’accrocher au chagrin : saisis plutôt la colère juste. Quand les guerriers demeurent inertes, ils deviennent faibles ; mais tous craignent celui qui est farouche et résolu.

Word by Word

• tat: therefore
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya particle: "therefore"

• alam: enough
• alam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: alam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, cessative: "enough"

• śokam: sorrow
• śokam: Karma (कर्म/object of ālambya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• ālambya: having clung to
• ālambya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√lamb (धातु) + lyap (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta gerund (ल्यप्): "having resorted to/holding on to"

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ālamba: take up; resort to
• ālamba: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√lamb (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana, parasmaipada

• bhūpate: O king
• bhūpate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• niśceṣṭāḥ: inactive, motionless
• niśceṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niḥ + ceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicate adjective of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• kṣatriyāḥ: kṣatriyas, warriors
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• mandāḥ: dull, weak
• mandāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; further qualifier of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifier of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• caṇḍasya: of the fierce one
• caṇḍasya: Apādāna-bhaya (अपादान/भय-हेतु: source of fear)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; "of the fierce (one)"

• bibhyati: fear
• bibhyati: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Prathama puruṣa, Bahuvacana, parasmaipada

Context

"O Exterminator of foes! By whatever means the ocean is crossed by us, think that the enemy has been killed in combat."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (as king addressed: bhūpati)
• kṣatriya (warrior ideal)

FAQs

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

Kṣātra-dharma: grief must not paralyze duty; controlled, purposeful anger (directed toward justice) can restore the energy needed to protect dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

On the eve of the ocean-crossing and war, Rāma is urged to abandon sorrow and adopt a battle-ready stance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vīrya (valor/energy): active resolve rather than inert lamentation.