Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 23

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्विनष्टे न हि वीरमन्यं पश्यामि यस्तौ वरराजपुत्रौ।युद्धाय युद्धप्रियदुर्विनीतावुद्योजयेद्धीर्घपथावरुद्धौ।।।।

Transliteration

asmin vinaṣṭe na hi vīram anyaṁ paśyāmi yas tau vara-rāja-putrau | yuddhāya yuddha-priya-durvinītāv udyojayed dīrgha-pathāvaruddhau ||

Translation

หากเขาถูกทำลาย ข้าพเจ้าแท้จริงไม่เห็นวีรบุรุษอื่นใดที่จะเร้าใจราชกุมารผู้ประเสริฐทั้งสอง—ผู้รักสงครามแต่ยากจะขัดเกลา—ให้ลุกขึ้นสู่ศึก เมื่อถูกขวางกั้นด้วยหนทางอันยาวไกล

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: when this one
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute base)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विनष्टे: is destroyed/slain
• विनष्टे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+नश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), सप्तमी-एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-निपात (indeed/for)

• वीरम्: a hero
• वीरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object modifier)
• 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, परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• वरराजपुत्रौ: the two excellent princes
• वरराजपुत्रौ: Karma (कर्म/Object apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर+राज+पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (वरस्य राज्ञः पुत्रौ)

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• युद्धप्रियदुर्विनीतौ: war-loving and ill-disciplined (two)
• युद्धप्रियदुर्विनीतौ: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धप्रिय+दुर्विनीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व (युद्धप्रियौ च दुर्विनीतौ च)

• उद्योजयेत्: might incite/urge
• उद्योजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• दीर्घपथावरुद्धौ: blocked by a long route
• दीर्घपथावरुद्धौ: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घपथ+अवरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (दीर्घे पथि अवरुद्धौ)

Context

"O lover of war! if Hanuman is slain I do not see any one who can incite those two ill-mannered sons of the king who are prevented from reaching this far-off land.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Hanumān (implied as the inciter/messenger)

FAQs

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

Actions have moral and strategic consequences: killing a messenger can escalate conflict by removing channels of negotiation and by triggering determined retaliation.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa warns that Hanumān is pivotal in communicating and energizing Rāma’s side; eliminating him may change the war dynamics in unpredictable ways.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Farsighted counsel—Vibhīṣaṇa evaluates second-order effects rather than immediate satisfaction.