Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 38

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

ततस्तुसुग्रीववचोनिशम्यतद्दरीश्वरेणाभिहितंनरेश्वरः ।विभीषणेनाशुजगामसङ्गमंपतत्त्रिराजेनयथापुरन्दरः ।।।।

Transliteration

tatas tu sugrīvavaco niśamya tad darīśvareṇābhihitaṃ nareśvaraḥ |

vibhīṣaṇenāśu jagāma saṅgamaṃ patattrirājena yathā purandaraḥ ||

Translation

そのとき人々の王は、洞窟の主たるスグリーヴァのふさわしい言葉を聞くや、ただちにヴィビーシャナとの会見へ赴いた――あたかもプランダラ（インドラ）が鳥の王に会いに行くがごとく。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक (then)

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम (particle)

• sugrīvavacaḥ: Sugrīva's words
• sugrīvavacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘निशम्य’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva-vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (सुग्रीवस्य वचः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√śam (धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप्, gerund); ‘having heard/considered’

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object; with ‘अभिहितम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; refers to the statement

• darīśvareṇa: by the lord of the caves (Sugrīva)
• darīśvareṇa: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darī-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (दरीणाम् ईश्वरः = ‘lord of caves’ i.e., monkey-king); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• abhihitam: said/uttered
• abhihitam: Kriya (क्रिया; participial predicate to ‘तत्’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘spoken/said’

• nareśvaraḥ: the king (Rāma)
• nareśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vibhīṣaṇena: with Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇena: Sahakari (सहकारी/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक (quickly)

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saṅgamam: meeting/encounter
• saṅgamam: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• patattrirājena: with the king of birds
• patattrirājena: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patattri-rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (पतत्त्रिणां राजा = Garuḍa); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle ‘as/like’)

• purandaraḥ: Purandara (Indra)
• purandaraḥ: Upameya (उपमेय/Compared subject in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Indra

Context

Perceiving Sugriva's befitting words, king Rama went to meet Vibheeshana like Indra arranged to meet with the king of birds.।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेअष्टादशस्सर्गः ।।This is the end of the eighteenth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Purandara (Indra)
• Patattrirāja (King of Birds, Garuḍa)

FAQs

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

Dharma moves from declaration to action: righteous intent is completed by promptly honoring refuge and meeting the suppliant without delay.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sugrīva’s supportive counsel, Rāma proceeds to meet Vibhīṣaṇa, formalizing acceptance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness aligned with righteousness—Rāma acts swiftly once dharma is clear.