Shloka 3

शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः

Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release

Devanagari script

सागरेसेतुबन्दंतुनश्रद्दध्यांकथञ्चन ।अवश्यंचापिसङ् ख्येयंतन्मयावानरंबलम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sāgare setubandhaṃ tu na śraddadhyāṃ kathañcana | avaśyaṃ cāpi saṅkhyeyaṃ tan mayā vānaraṃ balam ||

Translation

സമുദ്രത്തിന്മേൽ സേതുബന്ധം പണിതുവെന്നത് എനിക്ക് എങ്ങനെയും വിശ്വസിക്കാനായില്ല; എങ്കിലും ആ വാനരസേനയുടെ എണ്ണംയും ബലവും ഞാൻ തീർച്ചയായും നിർണ്ണയിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सागरे: in the ocean
• सागरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सेतुबन्धम्: bridge-building
• सेतुबन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: ‘binding/constructing of a bridge’); पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• श्रद्धध्याम्: I would believe (we two would believe)
• श्रद्धध्याम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrad-dhā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), द्विवचन (dual); परस्मैपद; धातु: धा (to place) with ‘श्रत्’ prefix sense ‘to trust/believe’

• कथञ्चन: at all, in any way
• कथञ्चन: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘in any way/at all’

• अवश्यम्: surely
• अवश्यम्: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-नपुंसक-एकवचन (used adverbially); क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• सङ्ख्येयम्: countable / to be counted
• सङ्ख्येयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅkhyeya (प्रातिपदिक; from saṅkhyā (धातु √khyā) + यत्/णीय)
• Form: णीय/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be counted’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य-निर्देश (demonstrative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• वानरम्: monkey
• वानरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of बलम्)

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"O king of Rakshasas! Vibheeshana held us captive for slaying us. But righteous self, Rama, the highly effulgent one released us on seeing."

Characters & Entities

• Sāgara (the sea)
• Setu (bridge)

FAQs

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

Dharma here aligns with responsible judgment: before acting, one must seek truthful assessment of facts (satya) rather than relying on disbelief or pride.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s agents have witnessed the astonishing sea-bridge; the speaker admits disbelief but insists on accurately assessing the Vānara forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and realism—valuing verification and strategic clarity over denial.