Shloka 21

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः

Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity

Devanagari script

उपकारफलं मित्रमपकारोऽरिलक्षणम्।अद्यैव तं हनिष्यामि तव भार्यापहारिणम्।।

Transliteration

upakāraphalaṃ mitram apakāro 'rilakṣaṇam | adyaiva taṃ haniṣyāmi tava bhāryāpahāriṇam ||

Translation

ಉಪಕಾರದ ಫಲವೇ ಮಿತ್ರನ ಗುರುತು; ಅಪಕಾರವು ಶತ್ರುವಿನ ಲಕ್ಷಣ. ಇಂದುಲೇ ನಿನ್ನ ಪತ್ನಿಯನ್ನು ಅಪಹರಿಸಿದ ಅವನನ್ನು ನಾನು ಸಂಹರಿಸುವೆನು.

Word by Word

• upakāra-phalam: bearing the fruit of help
• upakāra-phalam: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उपकारस्य फलम्), विशेषणम् (qualifying mitram)

• mitram: a friend
• mitram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• apakāraḥ: harm, wrongdoing
• apakāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ari-lakṣaṇam: a mark of an enemy
• ari-lakṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अरेः लक्षणम्)

• adya: today
• adya: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (today)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic: indeed/just)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• haniṣyāmi: I will kill
• haniṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• tava: your
• tava: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• bhāryā-apahāriṇam: the abductor of (your) wife
• bhāryā-apahāriṇam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक) + apahārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भार्यायाः अपहारी = wife-stealer), विशेषणम् (qualifying tam)

Context

'While a friend is known for his help, an enemy is known for his offensiveness. I will this very day kill the one who wrested your wife.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma distinguishes ally from adversary by conduct: help sustains friendship, while harm and violation (such as abducting another’s wife) demands just response.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma assures Sugrīva that he will punish the wrongdoer responsible for Sugrīva’s marital loss, strengthening their pact.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s commitment to justice and truthful promise-keeping (satya in resolve).