Shloka 18

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

यस्तुहित्वामतंभर्तुस्स्वमतंसम्प्रभाषते ।अनुक्तवादीदूतस्सन् सदूतोवधमर्हति ।।।।

Transliteration

yas tu hitvā mataṃ bhartuḥ svamataṃ samprabhāṣate |

anuktavādī dūtas san sa dūto vadham arhati ||

Translation

എന്നാൽ ഭർത്താവായ സ്വാമിയുടെ നിശ്ചയത്തെ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് സ്വന്തം അഭിപ്രായം പ്രസ്താവിക്കുകയും, രാജാവ് അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ പറഞ്ഞ വാക്കുകൾ ഉച്ചരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ദൂതൻ—അത്തരം ‘ദൂതൻ’ മരണശിക്ഷയ്ക്ക് അർഹൻ.

Word by Word

• यः: he who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध (but/indeed)

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• मतम्: opinion/command
• मतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भर्तुः: of the master/king
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वमतम्: his own opinion
• स्वमतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वं मतम्)

• सम्प्रभाषते: speaks/utters
• सम्प्रभाषते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अनुक्तवादी: one who speaks what was not said (by the master)
• अनुक्तवादी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुक्त + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव (अनुक्तं वदति इति)

• दूतः: a messenger
• दूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सन्: being
• सन्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दूतः: (such) a messenger
• दूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-बल (emphatic repetition)

• वधम्: death/killing
• वधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अर्हति: deserves/ought to receive
• अर्हति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

After hearing the appeal of Suka and seeing the monkeys shouting, Rama spoke indicating not to kill him.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• king (bhartṛ)

FAQs

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

The dharma of an envoy is fidelity and truthful transmission: he must not distort, add, or substitute personal opinions for the ruler’s authorized message.

What is the narrative situation?

Śuka refines the rule: messenger-immunity applies to a proper envoy, not to one who speaks beyond mandate.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity in communication—satya as accurate reporting and disciplined speech.