Shloka 23

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

अथवास्वयमेवैषछिद्रमासाद्यबुद्धिमान् ।अनुप्रविश्यविश्वस्तेकदाचित्प्रहरेदपि ।।6.17.23।।

Transliteration

athavā svayam evaiṣa chidram āsādya buddhimān | anupraviśya viśvaste kadācit prahared api || 6.17.23 ||

Translation

หรือไม่ก็เพราะเขาเฉลียวฉลาด ได้พบช่องโหว่ด้วยตนเองแล้วแทรกเข้ามา; ครั้นเราไว้วางใจแล้ว เขาอาจฉวยโอกาสลงมือทำร้ายได้ในสักเวลา

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction), विकल्पार्थक (or else)

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), आत्मार्थक (oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अवधारणार्थक (indeed/only)

• एषः: this man
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• छिद्रम्: a weak point, breach
• छिद्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having found/reached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-सा॒द् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having reached/found’

• बुद्धिमान्: intelligent
• बुद्धिमान्: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनुप्रविश्य: having entered
• अनुप्रविश्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having entered’

• विश्वस्ते: when trusted
• विश्वस्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle/कर्मणि क्त) ‘trusted’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): विश्वस्ते (सति) = when (he is) trusted

• कदाचित्: perhaps
• कदाचित्: Kala (काल/Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), कदाचित्-अर्थे (perhaps/sometime)

• प्रहरेत्: might strike
• प्रहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

Context

"Or else if he is a wise one and knows our weak points, might have found a way and reached us. He may strike us if he is trusted."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vibhīṣaṇa (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires responsible trust: सत्य (truth) must be tested through conduct; naïve trust that endangers others is ethically blameworthy.

What is the narrative situation?

A warning is given that an intelligent infiltrator can exploit weak points and attack after gaining confidence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom—balancing openness with safeguards.