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Shloka 40

लङ्कादर्शनं तथा रात्रौ सूक्ष्मरूपेण प्रवेशोपायचिन्तनम्

Vision of Lanka and Strategy for Nocturnal Entry

अर्थानर्थान्तरे बुद्धिर्निश्चितापि न शोभते।घातयन्ति हि कार्याणि दूताः पण्डितमानिनः।।।।

arthānarthāntare buddhir niścitāpi na śobhate | ghātayanti hi kāryāṇi dūtāḥ paṇḍitamāninaḥ ||

Mesmo uma intenção já decidida não resplandece quando a mente oscila entre o benéfico e o nocivo; pois mensageiros que se julgam sábios muitas vezes arruínam a obra que devem realizar.

arthānarthāntarebetween benefit and harm
arthānarthāntare:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootartha + anartha + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्व-समास (artha-anartha ‘benefit and harm’) + antara (‘between’) as a compound unit; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विषय-निर्देश (in the interval/between)
buddhiḥjudgment/intellect
buddhiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
niścitādecided
niścitā:
Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootni-ści (धातु)
Formक्त (PPP) ‘decided’, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of buddhiḥ)
apieven though
api:
Avadhāraṇa/Anvaya (अन्वय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अपि-कार (concessive ‘even/though’)
nanot
na:
Nishedha (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निषेध
śobhateshines/appears proper
śobhate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootśubh (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
ghātayantiruin/spoil
ghātayanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootghātaya (causative of han/ghāt) (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच् (causative)
hiindeed/for
hi:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)
kāryāṇitasks/undertakings
kāryāṇi:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkārya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
dūtāḥmessengers
dūtāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
paṇḍitamāninaḥself-styled wise
paṇḍitamāninaḥ:
Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpaṇḍita + mānin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (‘considering themselves learned’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of dūtāḥ)

'Even though messengers are not intelligent, they think themselves clever and capable. They act foolishly, swerve from proper course of action and fail in their effort.

H
Hanuman

FAQs

Dharma of a messenger (dūta-dharma): humility, clarity, and adherence to the mission; self-important cleverness that ignores consequences becomes adharma by harming the entrusted cause.

Hanumān cautions himself against indecision and against the common failing of agents who overestimate themselves and thereby jeopardize the mission.

Humility with discernment: he aims to act effectively, not theatrically, keeping benefit vs. harm clearly separated.