Shloka 1

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः।आज्ञापयद्वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूर्छितः।।।।

Transliteration

tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā vānarasya mahātmanaḥ |

ājñāpayad vadhaṁ tasya rāvaṇaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ ||

Translation

ആ മഹാത്മാവായ വാനരന്റെ (ഹനുമാന്റെ) വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ, ക്രോധത്തിൽ മർച്ഛിതനായ രാവണൻ അവനെ വധിക്കുവാൻ ആജ്ഞാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• tasya: of him (Hanuman)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vacanam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म/Object of śrutvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु); क्त्वान्त (absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): ‘having heard’

• vānarasya: of the vanara
• vānarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled one
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य = great-souled)

• ājñāpayat: ordered/commanded
• ājñāpayat: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√jñā (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• vadham: slaying
• vadham: Karma (कर्म/Object of ājñāpayat)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• krodha-mūrchitaḥ: overwhelmed with anger
• krodha-mūrchitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of rāvaṇaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrchita (कृदन्त, √mūrch)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्रोधेन मूर्छितः = overwhelmed by anger)

Context

Hearing the great vanara's speech, Ravana overwhelmed with anger ordered the execution of Hanuman.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa
• Laṅkā (implied court setting)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights adharma through uncontrolled anger: a ruler’s judgment becomes unjust when driven by rage rather than dharma-based deliberation.

What is the narrative situation?

After Hanumān speaks in Rāvaṇa’s court, Rāvaṇa reacts furiously and orders his execution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), the needed virtue is self-restraint (dama/kṣamā) in governance—shown here by its absence in Rāvaṇa.