Shloka 35

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

पुराप्राकारमायान्तिक्षिप्रमेकतरंकुरु ।सीतांवास्मैप्रयच्छाशुसुयुद्धंवापिप्रदीयताम् ।।।।

Transliteration

purā prākāram āyānti kṣipram ekataraṃ kuru |

sītāṃ vā asmai prayacchāśu suyuddhaṃ vāpi pradīyatām ||

Translation

ସେମାନେ ପ୍ରାଚୀର ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପହଞ୍ଚିବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ, ଶୀଘ୍ର ଦୁଇଟି ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ଗୋଟିଏ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି କର: ସୀତାଙ୍କୁ ତୁରନ୍ତ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଫେରାଇ ଦେ, କିମ୍ବା ଯଥୋଚିତ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ଦିଆଯାଉ।

Word by Word

• purā: beforehand/before
• purā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb): 'soon/beforehand' (here: 'before (they reach)')

• prākāram: the rampart/wall
• prākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āyānti: will come/are coming
• āyānti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipram (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'quickly/at once'

• ekataram: one of the two
• ekataram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka-tara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'one of the two (alternatives)'

• kuru: do
• kuru: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle): 'or'

• asmai: to him
• asmai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• prayaccha: give/hand over
• prayaccha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'quickly'

• su-yuddham: a good battle
• su-yuddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('good battle'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle): 'or'

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'also/even'

• pradīyatām: let (it) be given/offered
• pradīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative): 'let it be given/let (battle) be offered'

Context

"They will reach the boundary wall. At once you may do one of the two that I suggest you do. I implore you either to give away Sita or give good battle."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• prākāra (Laṅkā’s wall/rampart)

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma: a ruler must choose the righteous option—restore what was taken unjustly (Sītā), or face a just war; delay and evasion worsen adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Śuka urges Rāvaṇa to act immediately because the enemy host is nearing Laṅkā’s defenses.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence joined to ethics—sound counsel that aligns strategy with moral responsibility.