Shloka 15
सम्पातिवाक्यम्
Sampati’s Intelligence Report on Sita’s Abduction
सोऽहमभ्यवहारार्थी तौ दृष्ट्वा कृतनिश्चयः।तेन साम्ना विनीतेन पन्थानमभियाचितः।।।।
so 'ham abhyavahārārthī tau dṛṣṭvā kṛtaniścayaḥ | tena sāmnā vinītena panthānam abhiyācitaḥ || 4.59.15 ||
ข้าพเจ้าหิวหาอาหาร ครั้นเห็นทั้งสองก็แน่วแน่ใจ (จะเข้าจับกุม) แต่เขากลับกล่าวด้วยวาจาอ่อนโยนสุภาพ ขอทางที่ข้าพเจ้าขวางอยู่
'Since I was looking for food I resolved to seize both of them. (But) he asked me in a gentle and courteous manner to make way (since I was blocking the aerial path).
FAQs
The power of restrained speech: even amid threat, ‘sāman’ (conciliatory words) is shown as an ethical strategy—though, in the wider story, it may serve adharma when used to enable wrongdoing.
The son, intending to capture prey, is addressed politely by the carrier, who asks him to clear the aerial passage.
Self-control in communication (vinaya): the verse foregrounds courteous speech as a potent social instrument—morally valuable, yet morally neutral unless aligned with dharma.