Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 5

दधिमुख

विज्ञापनम् / Dadhimukha Reports the Madhuvana Incident

Devanagari script

एभिः प्रधर्षिताश्चैव वानरा वनरक्षिभिः।मधून्यचिन्तयित्वेमान् भक्षयन्ति पिबन्ति च।।।।

Transliteration

ebhiḥ pradharṣitāś caiva vānarā vanarakṣibhiḥ |

madhūny acintayitv emān bhakṣayanti pibanti ca ||

Translation

「森の守り手が力ずくで制止しても、あの猿族（ヴァーナラ）たちは我らを顧みず、蜜のことばかり思って食べ、飲み続けている。」

Word by Word

• ebhiḥ: by these
• ebhiḥ: Kartṛ-karaṇa / Karaṇa (कर्तृकरणम्/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3), Plural; 'by these' (i.e., by these guards)

• pradharṣitāḥ: harassed
• pradharṣitāḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Bhāva (भावे)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dhṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine Nominative Plural; predicate of vānaraḥ (vānarāḥ): 'harassed/assaulted'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• vānarāḥ: monkeys
• vānarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Plural; subject of bhakṣayanti/pibanti

• vanarakṣibhiḥ: by the garden-guards
• vanarakṣibhiḥ: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्तृकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + rakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3), Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'garden-guards'; agent of pradharṣitāḥ

• madhūni: honeys/sweet drinks
• madhūni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Plural; object of bhakṣayanti/pibanti

• acintayitvā: without caring
• acintayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√cint (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), with privative a-; 'not considering/caring'

• imān: these (people)
• imān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Plural; object of acintayitvā: 'these (guards)'

• bhakṣayanti: eat/consume
• bhakṣayanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural; 'they eat/consume'

• pibanti: drink
• pibanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural; 'they drink'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

Context

Beautiful-necked Sugriva heard Dadhimukha, the protector of the garden, felt very glad and replied:

Characters & Entities

• Dadhimukha
• Sugrīva
• Vānaras
• Madhuvana

FAQs

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

Dharma underscores self-restraint: even after success, one should not disregard lawful authority or communal order.

What is the narrative situation?

The guards attempted to stop the vānaras in Madhuvana, but the group continued consuming honey despite resistance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse contrasts the guards’ dutiful enforcement with the vānaras’ momentary lack of restraint.