Shloka 21

न्यग्रोध

प्रवेश-निवारणम् (Preventing Indrajit’s Banyan-Tree Rite) / Indrajit Confronts Vibhishana

Devanagari script

धर्मात्प्रच्युतशीलंहिपुरुषंपापनिश्चयम् ।।6.87.21।।त्यक्त्वासुखमवाप्नोतिहस्तादाशीविषंयथा ।

Transliteration

dharmāt pracyutaśīlaṃ hi puruṣaṃ pāpaniścayam || 6.87.21 || tyaktvā sukham avāpnoti hastād āśīviṣaṃ yathā |

Translation

Sesungguhnya, dengan meninggalkan seorang yang telah menyimpang daripada dharma dan bertekad pada dosa, seseorang memperoleh kesejahteraan—seperti menepis ular berbisa dari tangan.

Word by Word

• dharmāt: from dharma
• dharmāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (Abl sg)

• pracyutaśīlam: one whose conduct has fallen away
• pracyutaśīlam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-cyuta (प्रातिपदिक; from √cyu) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् ‘puruṣam’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (indeed/for)

• puruṣam: a man
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• pāpaniścayam: of sinful resolve
• pāpaniścayam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘sinful-intent’; विशेषणम् ‘puruṣam’

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘avāpnoti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• avāpnoti: attains
• avāpnoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• hastāt: from the hand
• hastāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (Abl sg)

• āśīviṣam: a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣam: Karma (कर्म/object of implied ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• yathā: like
• yathā: Upamana (उपमान/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (as/like)

Context

"I do not delight in cruel deeds, nor follow unrighteousness. Or else because of unfavourable disposition how can a brother be expelled by a brother?"

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Indrajit (Meghanāda)
• Rāvaṇa (implied as dharma-deviant)

FAQs

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

One should renounce association with those who have fallen from dharma and are committed to sin; moral separation is protective and purifying.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa justifies his break from Ravana’s camp by framing it as leaving a dharma-deviant, dangerous association.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment) and moral courage—the willingness to detach from harmful bonds for the sake of dharma.