Shloka 14

किष्किन्धायां सुग्रीवस्य नादः

Sugriva’s War-Cry at Kishkindha

Devanagari script

अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे वीर कृच्छ्रेऽपि तिष्टता।धर्मलोभपरीतेन न च वक्ष्ये कथञ्चन4.14.14।।

Transliteration

anṛtaṃ nokta-pūrvaṃ me vīra kṛcchre 'pi tiṣṭhatā | dharma-lobha-parītena na ca vakṣye kathañcana ||

Translation

ಓ ವೀರನೇ! ನಾನು ಹಿಂದೆ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಅಸತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿಲ್ಲ—ಕಷ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಸಹ; ಧರ್ಮಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಬಂಧಿತನಾಗಿ ನಾನು ಯಾವ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲೂ ಸುಳ್ಳು ಹೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ॥

Word by Word

• अनृतम्: untruth/lie
• अनृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• उक्त-पूर्वम्: previously spoken
• उक्त-पूर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्त (√वच्, कृदन्त) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पूर्वम् उक्तम् = previously spoken)

• मे: by me
• मे: Kartṛ-sambandha (कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘by me/of me’

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रे: in distress
• कृच्छ्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (even/also)

• तिष्ठता: even while being in (it)
• तिष्ठता: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘while standing/being’ (instrumental absolute nuance)

• धर्म-लोभ-परितेन: being constrained by concern for righteousness
• धर्म-लोभ-परितेन: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + परीत (√इ, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मे लोभः/धर्मलोभः; तेन परीतः = encompassed by concern for dharma)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• वक्ष्ये: I will speak
• वक्ष्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (वक्ष्ये)

• कथञ्चन: in any way
• कथञ्चन: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (in any way/at all)

Context

'O Sugriva, I have uttered no falsehood before for fear of deviation from righteousness although I was in distress, nor shall I utter any falsehood in any circumstances hereafter.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• dharma

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) as a pillar of dharma: Rāma grounds his promise in a lifelong discipline of not speaking falsehood, even under pressure.

What is the narrative situation?

To calm Sugrīva’s doubt, Rāma invokes his commitment to truth and righteousness as assurance that his pledge will be fulfilled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in truth) and dharma-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in righteousness).