Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

नतावत्सदृशंनामसचिवैरुपजीविभिः ।विप्रियंनृपतेर्वक्तुंनिग्रहेप्रग्रहेप्रभोः ।।।।

Transliteration

na tāvat sadṛśaṃ nāma sacivair upajīvibhiḥ | vipriyaṃ nṛpater vaktuṃ nigrahe pragrahe prabhoḥ ||

Translation

അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു: “പ്രഭുവിന്റെ അനുഗ്രഹത്തിൽ ജീവിക്കുന്ന മന്ത്രിമാർക്ക്, ശിക്ഷിക്കാനും അനുഗ്രഹിക്കാനും ശക്തനായ രാജാവിനോട് അസ്വീകാര്യമായ വാക്കുകൾ പറയുന്നത് യോജിച്ചതല്ല.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• तावत्: so much/that much
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-अव्यय (to that extent/so much)

• सदृशम्: proper/fitting
• सदृशम्: Visheshya-Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative): 'उचितम्' इत्यर्थे

• नाम: indeed
• नाम: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/forsooth)

• सचिवैः: by ministers
• सचिवैः: Kartr-karana/Agent-group (कर्ता-सहायक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• उपजीविभिः: by dependents
• उपजीविभिः: Kartr-karana/Agent-group (कर्ता-सहायक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपजीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'सचिवैः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (dependents)

• विप्रियम्: an unpleasant thing
• विप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'वक्तुम्' इत्यस्य कर्म

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana/Anukriya (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपद-धातु; अर्थ: 'to speak'

• निग्रहे: in restraining
• निग्रहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the matter of restraint/checking)

• प्रग्रहे: in holding back
• प्रग्रहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in holding back/controlling)

• प्रभोः: of the lord
• प्रभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नृपतेः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण-सम्बन्धः (of the lord/master)

Context

"It is not proper for those ministers dependent on a capable ruler who has the power to check and hold forth, to speak that which is unpleasant."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Śuka
• Sāraṇa
• nṛpati (king)

FAQs

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

The verse raises the dharmic tension between truthful counsel (satya-hitavacana) and courtly dependence: a ruler should welcome truth, yet Rāvaṇa frames “unpleasant truth” as improper—showing adharma in governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa begins to chastise his messengers/ministers for reporting or implying facts he finds disagreeable, asserting royal authority over them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is courageous, truthful counsel by ministers; Rāvaṇa’s reaction highlights the opposite—intolerance to corrective advice.