Shloka 26

मैत्रीप्रतिज्ञा-वैरकारणप्रश्नः

Friendship Vow and Inquiry into the Cause of Enmity

Devanagari script

राम शोकाभिभूतोऽहं शोकार्तानां भवान्गतिः।वयस्य इति कृत्वा हि त्वय्यहं परिदेवये।।

Transliteration

rāma śokābhibhūto 'haṃ śokārtānāṃ bhavān gatiḥ | vayasya iti kṛtvā hi tvayy ahaṃ paridevaye ||

Translation

హే రామా, నేను శోకముచే ఆవరించబడ్డాను; శోకార్తులకు మీరు శరణు. మిమ్మును మిత్రుడిగా భావించి నా దుఃఖాన్ని మీకు విన్నవించుచున్నాను.

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Nominative (1), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (बलार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• pāṇi-pradānena: by the giving of the hand
• pāṇi-pradānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi + pradāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3), Singular; tatpuruṣa: pāṇeḥ pradānam (giving of the hand)

• vayasyaḥ: friend
• vayasyaḥ: Pratyaya/Vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; predicate/apposition to tvam

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6), Singular (enclitic)

• agni-sākṣikam: with fire as witness
• agni-sākṣikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni + sākṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2), Singular; tatpuruṣa: agniḥ sākṣī yasya (with fire as witness)

• kṛtaḥ: made (became)
• kṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used predicatively; Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; ‘made/constituted’ (agreeing with vayasyaḥ)

• prāṇaiḥ: than life (by lives)
• prāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa/Upamāna (करण/उपमानार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3), Plural; idiomatically ‘more than life’

• bahumataḥ: highly esteemed
• bahumataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahumata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) from √man (मन्) with bahu-; Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; agrees with vayasyaḥ

• satyena: by truth
• satyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3), Singular

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• śapāmi: I swear
• śapāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śap (शप् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Singular; parasmaipada

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (enclitic)

Context

On hearing Rama's words, Sugriva, chief of the army of monkeys experienced immeasurable happiness and exclaimed, 'you're great, you're great.'

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma includes offering refuge and attentive support to the afflicted; friendship becomes a moral shelter for truthful lament.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva, reassured, opens his heart to Rāma and frames him as his protector and confidant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugrīva’s sincerity and trust, and implicitly Rāma’s role as compassionate refuge.