Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 31

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

तुलितंहिबलंसर्वमनेनात्रैवतिष्ठता ।गृह्यतांमागमल्लङ्कामेतद्दिममरोचते ।।।।

Transliteration

tulitaṃ hi balaṃ sarvam anenātraiva tiṣṭhatā |

gṛhyatāṃ mā gamal laṅkām etad mama rocate ||

Translation

Ficando aqui, ele certamente avaliou toda a nossa força. Que seja capturado; que não volte a Laṅkā — isto é o que me parece melhor.

Word by Word

• तुलितम्: assessed/weighed
• तुलितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here used predicatively with बलम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/निश्चय-निपात (indeed/for)

• बलम्: strength/army
• बलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनेन: by him/this one
• अनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by this (one)’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• एव: just/indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (only/just)

• तिष्ठता: standing
• तिष्ठता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘while standing’

• गृह्यताम्: let (him) be seized
• गृह्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let him be seized’

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• अगमत्: went/should go
• अगमत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लङ्काम्: to Lanka
• लङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय-निपात

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• रोचते: is pleasing/seems good
• रोचते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

"Then Angada, the noble one among Vanaras, the son of Vali, said," O King, to me it appears that he is not a messenger but a spy."

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgada
• Sugrīva
• Laṅkā
• Army (bala)

FAQs

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

Protecting one’s side in a righteous war includes preventing harmful intelligence leaks; duty to safeguard lives can justify detention.

What is the narrative situation?

Aṅgada recommends capturing the suspected spy to stop him from reporting the Vānara army’s strength back to Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility in leadership—prioritizing collective safety over naïve openness.