Shloka 1

शुकसारणनिग्रहः / Ravana Rebukes Suka and Sārana; Spies Reconnoiter Rama’s Camp

Devanagari script

शुकेनतुसमाख्यातान्दृष्ट्वासहरियूथपान् ।समीपस्थंचरामस्यभ्रातरंस्वंविभीषणम् ।।।।लक्ष्मणंचमहावीर्यंभुजंरामस्यदक्षिणं ।सर्ववानरराजंचसुग्रीवंभीमविक्रमम् ।।।।अङ्गदंचापिबलिनंवज्रहस्तात्मजात्मजम् ।हनूमन्तंचविक्रान्तंजाम्बवन्तंचदुर्जयम् ।।।।सुषेणंकुमुदंनीलंनलंचप्लवगर्षभम् ।गजंगवाक्षंशरभंमैन्दंचद्विविदंतथा ।।।।किञ्चिदाविग्नहृदयोजातक्रोधश्चरावणः ।भर्त्सयामासतौवीरौकथान्तेशुकसारणौ ।।।।

Transliteration

śukena tu samākhyātān dṛṣṭvā sa hariyūthapān |

samīpasthaṃ ca rāmasya bhrātaraṃ svaṃ vibhīṣaṇam ||

lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāvīryaṃ bhujaṃ rāmasya dakṣiṇam |

sarvavānararājaṃ ca sugrīvaṃ bhīmavikramam ||

aṅgadaṃ cāpi balinaṃ vajrahastātmajātmajam |

hanūmantaṃ ca vikrāntaṃ jāmbavantaṃ ca durjayam ||

suṣēṇaṃ kumudaṃ nīlaṃ nalaṃ ca plavagarṣabham |

gajaṃ gavākṣaṃ śarabhaṃ maindaṃ ca dvividaṃ tathā ||

kiñcid āvignahṛdayo jātakrodhaś ca rāvaṇaḥ |

bhartsayāmāsa tau vīrau kathānte śukasāraṇau ||

Translation

ശുകൻ അറിയിച്ചു തന്ന വിവരങ്ങൾ കേട്ടും വാനരയൂഥപന്മാരെ കണ്ടും—രാമന്റെ സമീപത്ത് നിൽക്കുന്ന തന്റെ സഹോദരൻ വിഭീഷണനെയും, മഹാവീര്യനായ ലക്ഷ്മണനെയും (രാമന്റെ വലങ്കൈയായവനെ), ഭീമവിക്രമനായ വാനരരാജൻ സുഗ്രീവനെയും, ബലവാനായ അങ്ങദനെയും (വജ്രഹസ്തനായ ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ പുത്രൻ വാലിയുടെ പുത്രനെ), വിക്രാന്തനായ ഹനൂമാനെയും, ജയിക്കാനാകാത്ത ജാംബവാനെയും, കൂടാതെ സുഷേണൻ, കുമുദൻ, നീലൻ, നലൻ എന്ന പ്ലവഗർഷഭനെയും, ഗജൻ, ഗവാക്ഷൻ, ശരഭൻ, മൈന്ദൻ, ദ്വിവിദൻ എന്നിവരെയും കണ്ട രാവണന്റെ ഹൃദയം അല്പം വിറച്ചു; ക്രോധവും ജ്വലിച്ചു. അവരുടെ വർത്തമാനം അവസാനിക്കുമ്പോൾ ശുകനും സാരണമെന്ന ആ രണ്ടു വീരദൂതന്മാരെ അവൻ ശാസിച്ചു നിന്ദിക്കുവാൻ തുടങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• अधो-मुखौ: with faces downcast
• अधो-मुखौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of तौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (अधः मुखौ यस्य) = 'faces downward'

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रणतौ: bowed; submissive
• प्रणतौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of तौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) → प्रणत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन; धातु: नम् (to bow) उपसर्ग: प्र

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: ब्रू (to speak)

• शुक-सारणौ: Suka and Sarana
• शुक-सारणौ: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition to तौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक) + सारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (शुकश्च सारणश्च)

• रोष-गद्गदया: with a voice choked by anger
• रोष-गद्गदया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोष (प्रातिपदिक) + गद्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रोषस्य गद्गदा)

• वाचा: with (their) speech/voice
• वाचा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• संरब्धम्: agitated; enraged
• संरब्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of वचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + रभ् (धातु) → संरब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of वचः

• परुषम्: harsh
• परुषम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of वचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of वचः

• वचः: words; speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Context

There after Ravana having heard the words spoken by Suka about the army of Vanara heroes, seeing Lakshmana of extraordinary valour, the right shoulder of Rama standing close by Rama his own brother Vibheeshana close by the king of Vanaras, Sugriva of fierce valour and Angada the son of Vali (the son of Indra who wields thunderbolt) and valiant Hanuman Jambavan who is difficult to conquer Sushena, Nila, Kumuda, bull among the leaping animals Nala likewise Gaja, Gavaksha, Sarabha, Mainda and Dwivida got a little broken hearted and mixed with fury started to rebuke both the heroes Suka and Saarana.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śuka
• Sāraṇa
• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sugrīva
• Aṅgada
• Hanūmān
• Jāmbavān
• Suṣeṇa
• Kumuda
• Nīla
• Nala
• Gaja
• Gavākṣa
• Śarabha
• Mainda
• Dvivida
• Indra (Vajrahasta)
• Vāli

FAQs

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

Dharma of kingship requires composure and wise listening; a ruler shaken by fear and anger tends to abandon righteous discernment.

What is the narrative situation?

After the scouts’ description, Rāvaṇa personally observes the Vānara leaders and, disturbed, turns to scold his own messengers.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), steadiness and unity among Rāma’s allies; negatively, Rāvaṇa’s lack of self-control.