Shloka 148

Devanagari script

सुमहत्यपराधेऽपि दूतस्यातुलविक्रमः।विरूपकरणं दृष्टं न वधोऽस्तीति शास्त्रतः।।।।

Transliteration

sumahaty aparādhe 'pi dūtasya atulavikramaḥ | virūpakaraṇaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ na vadho 'stīti śāstrataḥ ||

Translation

“ਹੇ ਅਤੁਲ ਪਰਾਕ੍ਰਮੀ! ਦੂਤ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਵੱਡਾ ਅਪਰਾਧ ਕਰੇ, ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਵਧ ਨਹੀਂ; ਕੇਵਲ ਵਿਗਾੜ (ਵਿਰੂਪ ਕਰਨਾ) ਹੀ ਦੰਡ ਹੈ।”

Word by Word

• su-mahati: very great
• su-mahati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-mahat (प्रातिपदिक; components: su + mahat)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (su + mahat); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? here with aparādhe: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of aparādhe

• aparādhe: in an offence
• aparādhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aparādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (Concession marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (concessive particle): ‘even’

• dūtasya: of the messenger
• dūtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• atula-vikramaḥ: (the messenger) of immeasurable prowess
• atula-vikramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atula-vikrama (प्रातिपदिक; components: atula + vikrama)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘immeasurable-valour’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); दूतस्य इत्यन्वयः (the messenger is of such valour)

• virūpa-karaṇam: mutilation, disfigurement
• virūpa-karaṇam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (of dṛṣṭam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa-karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; components: virūpa + karaṇa)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘disfigurement-making’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭam: is prescribed/seen
• dṛṣṭam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• vadhaḥ: killing
• vadhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• śāstrataḥ: according to the scriptures
• śāstrataḥ: Pramāṇa/Hetu (प्रमाण/हेतु—authority)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + tasil (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/according to the śāstra’

Context

'O Ravana of immeasurable courage! even if the emissary has done any kind of harm he may be mutilated but not murdered. Nowhere do the sastras allow killing (of an ambassador).

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Dūta
• Śāstra

FAQs

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

Proportional justice under śāstra: punishment must respect protected roles (like envoys) and must not cross into unlawful killing.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa continues his legal-ethical argument, distinguishing permissible punishment from forbidden execution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s integrity as a counselor grounded in śāstra and restraint.