Shloka 5

Devanagari script

परम्पराणां भक्षिष्ये वानराणां मृतं मृतम्।उवाचेदं वचः पक्षी तान्निरीक्ष्य प्लवङ्गमान्।।।।

Transliteration

paramparāṇāṃ bhakṣiṣye vānarāṇāṃ mṛtaṃ mṛtam |

uvācedaṃ vacaḥ pakṣī tān nirīkṣya plavaṅgamān ||

Translation

เมื่อเพ่งมองเหล่าวานรผู้กระโจนไปมา นกนั้นกล่าวว่า “เราจักกินวานรทีละตัว—ตัวใดตายลง ก็จักเป็นอาหารของเรา”

Word by Word

• परम्पराणाम्: in succession / one after another (lit. of successions)
• परम्पराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम्परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भक्षिष्ये: I will eat
• भक्षिष्ये: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• वानराणाम्: of the monkeys
• वानराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मृतम्: dead (one)
• मृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-विशेषण (qualifies implied "body")

• मृतम्: dead (each)
• मृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object: "this")
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वचः: speech / words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पक्षी: the bird (vulture)
• पक्षी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object of looking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), "having looked at"

• प्लवङ्गमान्: monkeys
• प्लवङ्गमान्: Karma (कर्म/Object of looking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Context

While the monkeys were preparing to fast unto death on the plateau of the mountain, Sampati, the prosperous king of vultures, the longlived elder brother of Jatayu widely known for his strength, appeared there.

Characters & Entities

• Sampāti

FAQs

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

Dharma is tested under desperation: hunger tempts one toward cruelty. The verse foregrounds adharma as a narrative foil, soon to be corrected when Sampāti learns their righteous mission connected to Rāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sampāti openly states his intention to feed on the vanaras who are waiting to die by fasting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, it highlights the virtue needed next—compassion and protection of those engaged in a righteous cause.