Shloka 21

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

अन्तर्धानगताह्येतेराक्षसाःकामरूपिणः ।शूराश्चनिकृतिज्ञाश्चतेषांजातुनविश्वसेत् ।।6.17.21।।

Transliteration

antardhānagatā hy ete rākṣasāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ | śūrāś ca nikṛtijñāś ca teṣāṃ jātu na viśvaset || 6.17.21 ||

Translation

ഈ രാക്ഷസന്മാർ ഇഷ്ടരൂപം ധരിക്കുന്നവരും അദൃശ്യമാകുന്നവരുമാണ്; അവർ ധീരരും കപടതയിൽ നിപുണരുമാകയാൽ, അവരിൽ ഒരിക്കലും വിശ്വാസം വെക്കരുത്.

Word by Word

• अन्तर्धानगताः: gone into concealment/invisible
• अन्तर्धानगताः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्धान-गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः: अन्तर्धाने गताः (gone into concealment/invisible)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• राक्षसाः: rakshasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कामरूपिणः: shape-shifters at will
• कामरूपिणः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: कामेन (इच्छया) रूपं यस्य (able to assume forms at will)

• शूराः: brave
• शूराः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निकृतिज्ञाः: cunning, knowing deceit
• निकृतिज्ञाः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निकृति-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: निकृतिं (कपटम्) जानन्ति (knowing deceit/crafty)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• जातु: ever
• जातु: Kala (काल/Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb), कदाचित्-अर्थे (ever/at any time)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• विश्वसेत्: should trust
• विश्वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; सामान्यकर्तृ (one should trust)

Context

"Know that these Rakshasas are heroic, crafty and cannot be trusted. They can change their form at will and can move about without being seen."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Discernment (viveka) is part of dharma: trust must be earned through सत्य (truthful conduct), not granted merely by appearance or claims.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma’s allies warn him that rākṣasas possess powers and deception, so Vibhīṣaṇa’s arrival should be evaluated cautiously.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance—guarding the community against manipulation while seeking the truth.