Shloka 20

Devanagari script

न स क्षमः कोपयितुं यः प्रसाद्यः पुनर्भवेत्।पूर्वोपकारं स्मरता कृतज्ञेन विशेषतः।।

Transliteration

na sa kṣamaḥ kopayituṃ yaḥ prasādyaḥ punar bhavet | pūrvopakāraṃ smaratā kṛtajñena viśeṣataḥ ||

Translation

जो पुन्हा प्रसन्न करणे योग्य आहे, त्याला राग आणणे उचित नाही—विशेषतः पूर्वीचा उपकार स्मरण ठेवणाऱ्या कृतज्ञाने।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

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

• क्षमः: proper/able
• क्षमः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कोपयितुम्: to anger
• कोपयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kup (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) + tumun (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive; 'to anger (someone)'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रसाद्यः: one who should be appeased
• प्रसाद्यः: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-sad (धातु) + ya (कृत्)
• Form: यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive): 'to be propitiated'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• भवेत्: would be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पूर्वोपकारम्: former help/favor
• पूर्वोपकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + upakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: पूर्वः उपकारः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मरता: by (one) remembering
• स्मरता: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'कृतज्ञेन' इत्यस्य सह विशेषणवत्

• कृतज्ञेन: by a grateful person
• कृतज्ञेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: कृतं जानाति इति कृतज्ञः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Context

'It is easy to earn a friend but keeping the friendship sustained is difficult. Due to fickleness of mind friendship gets broken even on flimsy grounds.

FAQs

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

Dharma teaches gratitude and restraint: do not wrong or offend those whom you ought to honor—especially benefactors whose help must be remembered truthfully.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān advises Sugrīva on repairing the strained alliance with Rāma/Lakṣmaṇa by acting with gratitude and avoiding provocation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṛtajñatā (gratitude) and humility—recognizing moral obligation toward one who has helped you.