Shloka 4

सम्पातिदर्शनम् (Encounter with Sampāti)

Angada’s Lament and the Vulture-King’s Response

Devanagari script

विधिः किल नरं लोके विधानेनानुवर्तते।यथाऽयं विहितो भक्ष्यश्चिरान्मह्यमुपागतः।।।।

Transliteration

vidhiḥ kila naraṃ loke vidhānenānuvartate |

yathā'yaṃ vihito bhakṣyaś cirān mahyam upāgataḥ ||

Translation

“ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಮನುಷ್ಯನಿಗೆ ವಿಧಿ ತನ್ನ ವಿಧಾನದಂತೆ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ; ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ಬಹುಕಾಲದಿಂದ ನಿಗದಿಯಾದ ಈ ಆಹಾರವು ಇಷ್ಟು ದಿನಗಳ ನಂತರ ನನಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಬಂದೀತು?”

Word by Word

• विधिः: destiny / ordinance
• विधिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• किल: indeed / it is said
• किल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात (particle: report/hearsay/emphasis)

• नरम्: a man
• नरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विधानेन: by arrangement / in accordance (with ordinance)
• विधानेन: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुवर्तते: follows
• अनुवर्तते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• यथा: as / just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (comparative particle: "as")

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• विहितः: ordained / appointed
• विहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्ष्यः: food / something to be eaten
• भक्ष्यः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिरात्: after a long time
• चिरात्: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक (temporal adverb: "after a long time")

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative, 4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपागतः: has come / arrived
• उपागतः: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative: "has come")
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past active/resultative participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

The wise king of vultures was shaken up mentally on seeing the monkeys lying on the ground and hearing the unhappy narration of Angada.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আতিকাব্যে কিষ্কিন্ধাকাণ্ডে ষটপঞ্চাশস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the fiftysixth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sampāti
• Vidhi (destiny)
• Vānara-s (as implied 'food')

FAQs

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

The verse raises the ethical problem of misreading ‘fate’ as moral permission. Dharma requires discernment (viveka): even if circumstances appear “ordained,” one must still judge actions by righteousness and compassion, not by convenience.

What is the narrative situation?

Sampāti, starving and seeing the vanaras resolved to die, interprets their presence as destiny bringing him food.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, the need for discernment and restraint: the narrative invites reflection on how easily fate-talk can justify harmful intent.