Shloka 5

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र प्रसीद मद्वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व।वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः।।।।

Transliteration

kṣamasva roṣaṃ tyaja rākṣasendra prasīda madvākyam idaṃ śṛṇuṣva |

vadhaṃ na kurvanti parāvarajñā dūtasya santo vasudhādhipendrāḥ ||

Translation

«Perdoa esta ira e abandona-a, ó senhor dos rākṣasas; acalma-te e escuta estas minhas palavras. Os reis nobres, que conhecem o certo e o errado, não matam um mensageiro.»

Word by Word

• kṣamasva: forgive
• kṣamasva: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣam (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• roṣam: anger
• roṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object of kṣamasva/tyaja)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tyaja: abandon
• tyaja: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rākṣasendra: O king of rakshasas
• rākṣasendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः = king of rakshasas)

• prasīda: be pleased/calm down
• prasīda: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mat-vākyam: my words
• mat-vākyam: Karma (कर्म/Object of śṛṇuṣva)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मम वाक्यम् = my words)

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mat-vākyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• śṛṇuṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• vadham: killing
• vadham: Karma (कर्म/Object of kurvanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• kurvanti: do/commit
• kurvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• parāvara-jñāḥ: knowers of what is higher and lower
• parāvara-jñāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kurvanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (परं च अवरं च जानन्ति = know right and wrong/high and low)

• dūtasya: of an envoy
• dūtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• santaḥ: good people
• santaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to parāvarajñāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘good men’

• vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥ: foremost kings of the earth
• vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वसुधायाः अधिपाः = kings; तेषाम् इन्द्राः = foremost)

Context

Vibhishana who stood by the right course of action, having realised that the lord of demons was angry pondered over his duty.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• dūta (envoy/messenger)
• kings (vasudhādhipa)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma forbids killing a messenger; even in hostility, ethical rules of diplomacy protect envoys.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, acting as Rāma’s messenger, has been captured; Rāvaṇa’s anger rises, and Vibhīṣaṇa intervenes to prevent execution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s commitment to dharma and truthful counsel, prioritizing ethical governance over vengeance.