Shloka 11

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

न पापानां वधे पापं विद्यते शत्रुसूदन।तस्मादेनं वधिष्यामि वानरं पापचारिणम्।।।।

Transliteration

na pāpānāṁ vadhe pāpaṁ vidyate śatrusūdana |

tasmād enaṁ vadhiṣyāmi vānaraṁ pāpacāriṇam ||

Translation

“ഹേ ശത്രുസൂദന! പാപികളുടെ വധത്തിൽ പാപമില്ല; അതുകൊണ്ട് ഈ പാപാചാരിയായ വാനരനെ ഞാൻ വധിക്കും.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• पापानाम्: of sinners
• पापानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• वधे: in killing
• वधे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here प्रथमा (subject of vidyate)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शत्रुसूदन: O slayer of foes
• शत्रुसूदन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु-सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; (vocative address)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक ‘तद्’)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् निपातः; अर्थे ‘therefore/from that reason’

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (enam = him)

• वधिष्यामि: I will kill
• वधिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वानरम्: the vanara
• वानरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; apposition to enam

• पापचारिणम्: sinful; evil-doing
• पापचारिणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप-चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vānaram/enam)

Context

"O slayer of foes! it is not wrong to kill a sinner. I shall, therefore, kill the sinful vanara."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa (implied addressee)
• Hanumān (as the vānara)

FAQs

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

The verse presents a distorted ethical claim: punishing wrongdoing must still follow dharma (lawful limits, proportionality, and context). Rāvaṇa tries to label a messenger as simply “sinful” to justify unlawful execution.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa responds to objections by asserting that killing Hanumān is justified because he considers him a sinner.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) is emphasized by its absence: true justice requires careful moral discrimination, not sweeping condemnation.