Shloka 61

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

अशक्यस्सहसाराजन्भावोबोद्धुंपरस्यवै ।अन्तस्स्वभावैर्गीतैस्तैर्नैपुण्यंपश्यतांभृशम् ।।6.17.61।।

Transliteration

aśakyaḥ sahasā rājan bhāvo boddhuṃ parasya vai | antaḥ-svabhāvair gītaiḥ tais naipuṇyaṃ paśyatāṃ bhṛśam || 6.17.61 ||

Translation

ໂອ້ພຣະຣາຊາ ຈະຮູ້ເຈດຈຳນົງແທ້ຂອງຜູ້ອື່ນໃນທັນທີນັ້ນ ບໍ່ອາດເປັນໄປໄດ້; ມີແຕ່ຜູ້ຊຳນານຢ່າງຍິ່ງເທົ່ານັ້ນ ຈຶ່ງຈະເຫັນໄດ້ຈາກນິໄສພາຍໃນທີ່ປະກົດຜ່ານນ້ຳສຽງ ແລະວິທີເວົ້າ.

Word by Word

• अशक्यः: not possible
• अशक्यः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक शक्य; क्तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (potential) used adjectivally; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate to भावः

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• भावः: intention/feeling
• भावः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बोद्धुम्: to know
• बोद्धुम्: कर्म (Karma/Complement of अशक्यः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• परस्य: of another person
• परस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive "of another"

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic particle

• अन्तःस्वभावैः: by inner dispositions
• अन्तःस्वभावैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तः-स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अन्तः + स्वभाव) "inner nature"

• गीतैः: by tones/utterances
• गीतैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; "by sung/intoned (words/tones)"

• तैः: by those
• तैः: विशेषण/सम्बन्ध (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• तैः: by those
• तैः: विशेषण/सम्बन्ध (Specifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; repetition for emphasis

• नैपुण्यम्: skill
• नैपुण्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of पश्यताम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; "skill/dexterity"

• पश्यताम्: of those observing
• पश्यताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle) in षष्ठी बहुवचन (genitive plural) used as "of those who observe"

• भृशम्: greatly
• भृशम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb "excessively"

Context

"O king! It is not possible to know the intention (of an enemy) of others at once without excessive dexterity. It is to be known by his tone of words and description."

Characters & Entities

• Mainda
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma cautions against hasty judgments: truth (satya) about a person’s intent is subtle and requires careful observation and skill.

What is the narrative situation?

In the debate about Vibhīṣaṇa’s trustworthiness, Mainda argues that intentions cannot be instantly known and must be inferred carefully.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) and patience—testing reality through measured observation rather than instant conclusions.