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Shloka 5

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

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

kṣamasva roṣaṃ tyaja rākṣasendra prasīda madvākyam idaṃ śṛṇuṣva |

vadhaṃ na kurvanti parāvarajñā dūtasya santo vasudhādhipendrāḥ ||

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

kṣamasvaforgive
kṣamasva:
Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
TypeVerb
Root√kṣam (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
roṣamanger
roṣam:
Karma (कर्म/Object of kṣamasva/tyaja)
TypeNoun
Rootroṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
tyajaabandon
tyaja:
Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
TypeVerb
Root√tyaj (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
rākṣasendraO king of rakshasas
rākṣasendra:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootrākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः = king of rakshasas)
prasīdabe pleased/calm down
prasīda:
Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√sad (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
mat-vākyammy words
mat-vākyam:
Karma (कर्म/Object of śṛṇuṣva)
TypeNoun
Rootmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मम वाक्यम् = my words)
idamthis
idam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mat-vākyam)
TypeAdjective
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
śṛṇuṣvalisten
śṛṇuṣva:
Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
TypeVerb
Root√śru (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
vadhamkilling
vadham:
Karma (कर्म/Object of kurvanti)
TypeNoun
Rootvadha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
kurvantido/commit
kurvanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
parāvara-jñāḥknowers of what is higher and lower
parāvara-jñāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kurvanti)
TypeNoun
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (परं च अवरं च जानन्ति = know right and wrong/high and low)
dūtasyaof an envoy
dūtasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
santaḥgood people
santaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; apposition to parāvarajñāḥ)
TypeNoun
Rootsat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘good men’
vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥforemost kings of the earth
vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootvasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वसुधायाः अधिपाः = kings; तेषाम् इन्द्राः = foremost)

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

V
Vibhīṣaṇa
R
Rāvaṇa
D
dūta (envoy/messenger)
K
kings (vasudhādhipa)

FAQs

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

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

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