Shloka 27

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

ततस्सभयसंविग्नस्तदाराज्ञाभिचोदितः ।वचनंप्रत्युवाचेदंराक्षसाधिपमुत्तमम् ।।।।सागरस्योत्तरेतीरेऽब्रवंतेवचनंतथा ।यथासन्धेशमक्लिष्टंसान्त्वयन् श्लक्ष्णयागिरा ।।।।

Transliteration

tatas sabhayasaṃvignas tadā rājñābhicoditaḥ |

vacanaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ rākṣasādhipam uttamam |

sāgarasyottare tīre 'bravaṃ te vacanaṃ tathā |

yathāsandeśam akliṣṭaṃ sāntvayan ślakṣṇayā girā ||

Translation

Lalu Śuka, cemas dan gementar ketakutan, didorong titah raja, menjawab tuan agung para Rākṣasa: “Di pantai utara lautan, hamba menyampaikan pesan tuanku tepat seperti yang diperintahkan, tanpa kesukaran; dengan tutur yang lembut, menenangkan dan mendamaikan.”

Word by Word

• tatas: then
• tatas: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb): 'then/thereafter'

• sa: he
• sa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• bhaya-saṃvignaḥ: agitated with fear
• bhaya-saṃvignaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvigna (कृदन्त; √vij/√vij? here saṃvigna from √vij/√vid? conventional: saṃvigna 'agitated')
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (past participial sense): 'agitated by fear'

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb): 'at that time'

• rājñā: by the king
• rājñā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• abhicoditaḥ: urged/ordered
• abhicoditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√cud (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP): 'having been urged/commanded'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-ava-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• rākṣasādhipam: to the lord of the Rakshasas (Ravana)
• rākṣasādhipam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'lord of rākṣasas'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent, foremost
• uttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of rākṣasādhipam)

Context

Then Suka who was caught by fear, having been asked by the king, trembling away thus replied to the Rakshasa king. "I went to the northern shore of the ocean and delivered gently the speech just as it was conveyed by you."

Characters & Entities

• Suka
• Ravana
• Ocean (Sagara)

FAQs

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

Satya in duty: a messenger must report faithfully and accurately, delivering the message as entrusted, using appropriate, non-inflammatory speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Questioned by Rāvaṇa, Śuka explains that he delivered the message on the ocean’s northern shore in a gentle, conciliatory manner.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śuka’s professional integrity as a messenger—accuracy, restraint, and a calming mode of speech.