Shloka 48

Devanagari script

मित्रं ह्यर्थगुणश्रेष्ठं सत्यधर्मपरायणम्।तद्द्वयं तु परित्यक्तं न तु धर्मे व्यवस्थितम्।।4.33.48।।

Transliteration

mitraṃ hy arthaguṇaśreṣṭhaṃ satyadharmaparāyaṇam | tad dvayaṃ tu parityaktaṃ na tu dharme vyavasthitam ||

Translation

मित्रं ह्यर्थगुणश्रेष्ठं सत्यधर्मपरायणम्। तद्द्वयं परित्यज्य न हि धर्मे व्यवस्थितः॥

Word by Word

• मित्रम्: a friend
• मित्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphasis)

• अर्थगुणश्रेष्ठम्: excellent in wealth and virtues
• अर्थगुणश्रेष्ठम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: arthaguṇayoḥ śreṣṭham (excellent in wealth and qualities)

• सत्यधर्मपरायणम्: devoted to truth and righteousness
• सत्यधर्मपरायणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: satyadharme parāyaṇam (devoted to truth and dharma)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; deictic with द्वयम्

• द्वयम्: the pair/both
• द्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Virodha/avadhāraṇa-nipāta (but/indeed)

• परित्यक्तम्: abandoned
• परित्यक्तम्: Kriyā/Predicative (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: Bhūta-kṛdanta (past participle/क्त), Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with द्वयम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (contrast)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• व्यवस्थितम्: established/steadfast
• व्यवस्थितम्: Kriyā/Predicative (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-अव-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: Bhūta-kṛdanta (past participle/क्त), Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with द्वयम्

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sugrīva
• mitra (friend)
• satya
• dharma
• artha

FAQs

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

Abandoning a truthful, dharmic friend is incompatible with dharma; loyalty to the righteous is itself a moral obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa presses Sugrīva to honor his alliance with Rāma, portraying Rāma as a friend anchored in satya and dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in friendship (mitra-dharma) and alignment with satya—valuing integrity over indulgence.