Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 21

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

अपि चास्मिन् हते राजन्नान्यं पश्यामि खेचरम्।इह यः पुनरागच्छेत्परं पारं महोदधेः।।।।

Transliteration

api cāsmin hate rājan nānyaṁ paśyāmi khecaram | iha yaḥ punar āgacchet paraṁ pāraṁ mahodadheḥ ||

Translation

ยิ่งกว่านั้น ข้าแต่พระราชา หากเขาถูกฆ่า ข้าพเจ้าไม่เห็นผู้ใดอื่นในหมู่ผู้เหาะเหิน (เขจร) ที่จะกลับมาที่นี่ได้อีก โดยข้ามมหาสมุทรอันยิ่งใหญ่นี้จากฝั่งไกลผ่านท้องฟ้า

Word by Word

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्मिन्: in this (case), when he
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हते: when (he) is killed
• हते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle/क्त), सप्तमी-एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute sense)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• खेचरम्: sky-goer (one who can travel through the sky)
• खेचरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• यः: who (ever)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (again)

• आगच्छेत्: might come, could return
• आगच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• परम्: further, other
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Object modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पारम्: far shore
• पारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महोदधेः: of the great ocean
• महोदधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् उदधिः)

Context

"O king! If he is killed, I do not see any one who can cross this great ocean and come by air to reach this place.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Hanumān (implied as the sky-traveller)

FAQs

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

Dharma is aligned with foresight: righteous governance avoids needless killing that can provoke greater harm; wise action weighs long-term consequences over immediate rage.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa argues that killing Hanumān may not even serve Laṅkā’s interests, because Hanumān’s unique capacity implies a larger threat and a need for strategic response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence (viveka)—Vibhīṣaṇa reasons about capability, risk, and the larger conflict rather than focusing on revenge.