Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कथयिष्यन्ति लोकेषु पुरुषाः कर्म कुत्सितम्।सुनृशंसमधर्मिष्ठं तव शौण्डीर्यमानिनः।।3.53.8।।

Transliteration

kathayiṣyanti lokeṣu puruṣāḥ karma kutsitam |

sunṛśaṃsam adharmiṣṭhaṃ tava śauṇḍīrya-māninaḥ ||3.53.8||

Translation

ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਤੇਰੇ ਇਸ ਕਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਕੂਤਸਿਤ ਆਖਣਗੇ—ਬਹੁਤ ਨਿਰਦਈ ਅਤੇ ਸਰਬਥਾ ਅਧਰਮੀ—ਭਾਵੇਂ ਤੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੂਰਵੀਰ ਮੰਨਦਾ ਹੈਂ।

Word by Word

• कथयिष्यन्ति: will speak (about)
• कथयिष्यन्ति: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद: ‘they will tell/speak’

• लोकेषु: in the worlds; among people
• लोकेषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• पुरुषाः: men; people
• पुरुषाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्म: deed
• कर्म: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुत्सितम्: despicable
• कुत्सितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कुत्स् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘कर्म’

• सुनृशंसम्: very cruel
• सुनृशंसम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-नृशंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सु + नृशंस (very cruel)

• अधर्मिष्ठम्: most unrighteous
• अधर्मिष्ठम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्मिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative sense ‘most unrighteous’

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• शौण्डीर्यमानिनः: of you, who fancy yourself brave
• शौण्डीर्यमानिनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौण्डीर्य-मानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शौण्डीर्यं मन्यते इति (one who thinks himself brave)

Context

O lowly demon, you have, indeed, shown your heroism (in killing this old vulture).You have not won me in a battle declared by you.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma includes accountability before society and conscience: cruel acts bring lasting blame. Moral truth outlives power and self-image.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā warns Rāvaṇa that public memory will condemn his act as cruel and unrighteous.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral discernment and her appeal to loka-nīti (social-ethical judgment) as a restraint on adharma.