Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 29, Shloka 13

शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp

Devanagari script

हन्यामहंत्विमौपापौशत्रुपक्षप्रशंसकौ ।यदिपूर्वोपकारैस्तुनक्रोधोमृदुतांव्रजेत् ।।।।

Transliteration

hanyām ahaṃ tv imau pāpau śatru-pakṣa-praśaṃsakau |

yadi pūrvopakārais tu na krodho mṛdutāṃ vrajet ||6.29.13||

Translation

ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຄົນບາບທັງສອງນີ້—ຜູ້ສັນລະເສີນຝ່າຍສັດຕູ—ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຄົງຈະສັງຫານແລ້ວ ຖ້າບໍ່ແມ່ນໂທສະຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຖືກອ່ອນລົງເນື່ອງຈາກການລະລຶກເຖິງຄຸນອຸປະການເກົ່າກ່ອນຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ។

Word by Word

• हन्याम्: I would kill
• हन्याम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/सम्भावना), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual), पुंलिङ्ग

• पापौ: sinful, wicked
• पापौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषणम् इमौ-सम्बद्धम्

• शत्रुपक्षप्रशंसकौ: two who praise the enemy side
• शत्रुपक्षप्रशंसकौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु + पक्ष + प्रशंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शत्रोः पक्षः = enemy side; तस्य प्रशंसकौ); द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• यदि: if
• यदि: Avyaya (अव्यय/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त (conditional conjunction)

• पूर्वोपकारैः: by earlier services
• पूर्वोपकारैः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (पूर्वाः उपकाराः); तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• तु: however
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (अव्यय/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• क्रोधः: anger
• क्रोधः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• मृदुताम्: softness, gentleness
• मृदुताम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म; goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• व्रजेत्: would go/turn into
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

"I would have slayed these two sinners who praise the enemy side, if my anger had not softened and remembered their earlier services."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śuka
• Sāraṇa

FAQs

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

A trace of dharmic restraint appears as gratitude (smaraṇa of past service) checks violence—yet the intention to kill truthful advisers remains ethically flawed.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa claims he would execute the messengers for praising enemies, but refrains due to their past assistance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gratitude as a restraining force—though here it operates within an otherwise adharma-driven outburst.