Shloka 41

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

अर्थानर्थौविनिश्चित्यव्यवसायंभजेतह ।गुणतस्सङ्ग्रहंकुर्याद्दोषतस्तुविसर्जयेत् ।।6.17.41।।

Transliteration

arthānarthau viniścitya vyavasāyaṃ bhajeta ha |

guṇataḥ saṅgrahaṃ kuryād doṣatas tu visarjayet ||6.17.41||

Translation

利と害とを確かに見定めて、堅固な決意を取るべきである。徳によって受け入れ、過失によって退けよ。

Word by Word

• अर्थानर्थौ: benefit and harm
• अर्थानर्थौ: Karma (कर्म/Object of विनिश्चित्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ-अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative): अर्थः च अनर्थः; पुल्लिङ्गः, द्विवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative dual)

• विनिश्चित्य: having determined
• विनिश्चित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+नि+चित् (धातु) + क्त्वा/ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-अर्थे अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having ascertained’

• व्यवसायम्: course of action
• व्यवसायम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of भजेत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवसाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative singular)

• भजेत: should adopt
• भजेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), पदपूरण/स्मरणार्थ (emphatic/expletive)

• गुणतः: by merits
• गुणतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: गुणतः = गुणदृष्ट्या (by virtue/with respect to merits)

• सङ्ग्रहम्: acceptance, taking in
• सङ्ग्रहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कुर्यात्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• दोषतः: by faults
• दोषतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: दोषतः = दोषदृष्ट्या (by faults/with respect to defects)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adversative particle)

• विसर्जयेत्: should abandon
• विसर्जयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Context

Ascertaining advantages and disadvantages one should take the right course of action, by acting if it is virtuous and giving up if it is faulty.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa (contextual referent)

FAQs

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

Righteous action requires discernment: weigh consequences, then align choices with virtue (guṇa) and avoid what is blameworthy (doṣa).

What is the narrative situation?

In the debate over accepting Vibhīṣaṇa, Angada proposes a principle of evaluation: determine pros and cons, then accept or reject accordingly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (clear judgment) and steadiness in policy—choosing based on ethical merits rather than impulse.