Shloka 64

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

उपकारेण वीरस्तु प्रतीकारेण युज्यते।अकृतज्ञोऽप्रतिकृतो हन्ति सत्त्ववतां मनः।।

Transliteration

upakāreṇa vīras tu pratīkāreṇa yujyate | akṛtajño ’pratikṛto hanti sattvavatāṁ manaḥ ||

Translation

సత్యవీరుడు ఉపకారానికి తగిన ప్రతిఉపకారంతో స్పందిస్తాడు. కాని కృతఘ్నుడు, ప్రతిదానం చేయనివాడు, సజ్జనుల హృదయాన్ని గాయపరుస్తాడు॥

Word by Word

• upakāreṇa: by a favor/help
• upakāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण) (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana

• vīraḥ: a hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of yujyate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (contrast/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adversative particle (निपात)

• pratīkāreṇa: by requital/return-help
• pratīkāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण) (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratīkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana

• yujyate: is joined with/is proper
• yujyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (धातु) (√yuj/युज् 'to join/befit')
• Form: Tinganta, Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada

• akṛtajñaḥ: an ungrateful (man)
• akṛtajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of hanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (अ- privative) + kṛtajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; adjective used substantively: 'ungrateful person'

• apratikṛtaḥ: one who has not repaid
• apratikṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (अ- privative) + pratikṛta (प्रातिपदिक) (from √kṛ)
• Form: Kṛdanta, past participle (क्त) from prati-√kṛ (प्रति + कृ) with privative a-; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifier of akṛtajñaḥ

• hanti: hurts/destroys
• hanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु) (√han/हन् 'to strike')
• Form: Tinganta, Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• sattvavatām: of the virtuous
• sattvavatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive to manaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattvavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Bahuvacana; 'of the virtuous/strong-minded'

• manaḥ: the heart/mind
• manaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (object of hanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

Context

A hero should in return help whoever has helped him. An ungrateful person hurts the heart of the virtuous by not returning the assistance.'

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Sugriva (implied in context)

FAQs

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

Gratitude (kṛtajñatā) is a pillar of righteous conduct: receiving help creates a moral obligation to respond with appropriate reciprocation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama frames the moral expectation that Sugriva should return Rama’s assistance (in gaining the kingdom) by helping Rama in his own cause.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nobility expressed as reciprocity: the ‘vīra’ is defined not only by strength but by moral responsiveness.