Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 19

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

शुकस्यवचनंश्रुत्वारामस्तुपरिदेवितम् ।उवाचमावधिष्टेतिघ्नतश्शाखामृगर्षभान् ।।।।

Transliteration

śukasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rāmas tu paridevitam |

uvāca mā vadhiṣṭeti ghnataḥ śākhāmṛgarṣabhān ||

Translation

Ao ouvir a súplica de Śuka, Rāma falou aos principais vānara, que clamavam por golpeá-lo, dizendo: «Não o mateis».

Word by Word

• शुकस्य: of Śuka
• शुकस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive case, Singular)

• वचनम्: words; speech
• वचनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive: ‘having heard’)

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: कर्ता (Agent/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/अव्ययम् (Particle: contrast/emphasis)

• परिदेवितम्: lamentation; appeal
• परिदेवितम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + दिव् (धातु) → परिदेवित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं भाववाचकम् (past participial noun: lament/appeal)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (3rd person singular, Perfect, Parasmaipada)

• मा: do not
• मा: वाक्य-निषेध (Prohibition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (Prohibitive particle ‘do not’)

• अवधिष्ट: (you all) kill
• अवधिष्ट: क्रिया (Prohibited action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थे/विधिलिङ्गार्थे निषेधेन सह), मध्यमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (2nd person plural, Aorist used as injunctive with mā: ‘do not kill’)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उक्ति-चिह्न (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (Quotative particle: ‘thus’)

• घ्नतः: of the killers; of those killing
• घ्नतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation: ‘of those who were killing’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन्/घ्न (धातु) → घ्नत् (शतृ-कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive, Plural); शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तं वर्तमानकाले (present active participle: ‘killing’)

• शाखामृगर्षभान्: the best of the tree-leaping monkeys (Vānaras)
• शाखामृगर्षभान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); समासः: शाखायां मृगाः (शाखामृग) + तेषां ऋषभाः (श्रेष्ठाः) → ‘श्रेष्ठ-वानराः’

Context

The evil minded raskshasa who was a spy of Ravana went back to Lanka speedily unruffled after having observed all over the camp and spoke these words to Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śuka
• Vānaras

FAQs

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

Even amid hostility, dharma restrains violence: Rāma upholds the rule against killing an envoy and checks uncontrolled rage.

What is the narrative situation?

As the vānaras clamor to kill the captured Śuka, Rāma intervenes and forbids it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and principled leadership—Rāma enforces righteous limits on wartime action.