Shloka 57

पश्चिमदिशि अन्वेषणादेशः

Instructions for the Western Search Party

Devanagari script

अथ प्रस्थाप्य सुग्रीवस्तान्हरीन्दक्षिणां दिशम्।अब्रवीन्मेघसङ्काशं सुषेणं नाम यूथपम्।।4.42.1।।

Transliteration

ato 'nyad api yat kāryaṃ kāryasyāsya hitaṃ bhavet | sampradhārya bhavadbhiś ca deśa-kāla-artha-saṃhitam ||

Translation

अतोऽन्यदपि यत्कार्यं, अस्य कार्यस्य हितं भवेत्। देशकालार्थसंहितं भवद्भिः सम्प्रधार्यैव कर्तव्यम्॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle, then/now)

• प्रस्थाप्य: having dispatched
• प्रस्थाप्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘प्रस्थाप्य’ = having sent/dispatching

• सुग्रीवः: Sugriva
• सुग्रीवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• हरीन्: monkeys/vanaras
• हरीन्: Karma (कर्म; तान् हरीन् = those monkeys)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• दक्षिणाम्: southern
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म; दिशम्-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘दिशम्’

• दिशम्: direction/quarter
• दिशम्: Karma (कर्म; गन्तव्य-देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्/दिशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• मेघसङ्काशम्: cloud-like
• मेघसङ्काशम्: Karma (कर्म; सुषेणम्-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-निर्देश: ‘मेघस्य सङ्काशः’); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘सुषेणम्’

• सुषेणम्: Sushena
• सुषेणम्: Karma (कर्म; addressed/mentioned object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुषेण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निर्देशक (indeclinable particle meaning ‘by name/called’)

• यूथपम्: troop-leader
• यूथपम्: Karma (कर्म; सुषेणम् = troop-leader)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन (Singular); अप्पोजिशन to ‘सुषेणम्’

Context

'You may do any work after careful thinking, if it helps to achieve the purpose, and if the work to be performed is in accordance with time and place.'

Characters & Entities

• Sugriva
• vanaras (search party leaders)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is prudent, context-aware action: decisions should be made after reflection and must fit deśa (place), kāla (time), and artha (purpose), so that zeal does not become reckless harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva is issuing operational guidance to the vanara search leaders, instructing them to adapt their actions intelligently while searching for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prājñatā (wisdom) and nīti (sound policy): acting thoughtfully and strategically rather than impulsively.