Shloka 7

किष्किन्धायां सुग्रीवस्य नादः

Sugriva’s War-Cry at Kishkindha

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा सुग्रीवेण स राघवः।तमेवोवाच वचनं सुग्रीवं शत्रुसूदनः4.14.7।।

Transliteration

evam uktas tu dharmātmā sugrīveṇa sa rāghavaḥ |

tam evovāca vacanaṃ sugrīvaṃ śatru-sūdanaḥ || 4.14.7 ||

Translation

സുഗ്രീവൻ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, ധർമ്മാത്മനായ രാഘവൻ—ശത്രുസൂദനൻ—സുഗ്രീവനോട് മറുപടിയായി അതേ വചനങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, manner adverb: "thus"

• uktaḥ: addressed/spoken to
• uktaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; "having been spoken to/addressed"

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle

• dharmātmā: the righteous-souled one
• dharmātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Bahuvrīhi: "one whose self is dharma" = righteous person; epithet of Rāma

• sugrīveṇa: by Sugriva
• sugrīveṇa: Karta (कर्ता) (agent with uktaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• rāghavaḥ: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to saḥ

• tam: to him
• tam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; pronoun referring to Sugrīva

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada: "said"

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• sugrīvam: Sugriva
• sugrīvam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; in apposition to tam

• śatru-sūdanaḥ: slayer of enemies
• śatru-sūdanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + sūdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: "slayer of enemies" epithet of Rāma

Context

Requested thus by Sugriva, righteous Rama, the destroyer of enemies, replied:.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rāma (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as a living quality in leadership: the righteous person responds responsibly when appealed to for justice and protection.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sugrīva’s request, the narration transitions to Rāma’s spoken response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharmic disposition (dharmātmā)—measured, duty-conscious action.