Shloka 6

शरणागति

धर्मनिर्णयः (Decision on Refuge and Dharma) / Rama’s Vow of Protection and the Acceptance of Vibhishana

Devanagari script

वानराधिपतेर्वाक्यंश्रुत्वासर्वानुदीक्ष्यच ।।।।ईषदुत्स्मयमानस्तुलक्ष्मणंपुण्यलक्षणम् ।इतिहोवाचकाकुत्स्थोवाक्यंसत्यपराक्रमः ।।।।

Transliteration

vānarādhipater vākyaṃ śrutvā sarvān udīkṣya ca | īṣad utsmayamānas tu lakṣmaṇaṃ puṇyalakṣaṇam | iti hovāca kākutstho vākyaṃ satyaparākramaḥ ||

Translation

ครั้นพระรามแห่งวงศ์กากุตสถ์ ผู้มีวีรภาพตั้งมั่นในสัจจะ ทรงสดับวาจาของพระราชาวานรแล้ว และทอดพระเนตรทั่วทุกผู้คน ก็ทรงแย้มสรวลน้อย ๆ ไปยังพระลักษมณ์ผู้มีลักษณะเป็นมงคล แล้วจึงตรัสถ้อยคำนี้

Word by Word

• vānarādhipateḥ: of the king of the monkeys
• vānarādhipateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘vānarāṇām adhipatiḥ’); Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• vākyam: speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having heard’

• sarvān: all (of them)
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; ‘all (persons)’

• udīkṣya: having looked at
• udīkṣya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + īkṣ (ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), with preverb ud-; ‘having looked at’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• īṣat: slightly
• īṣat: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: īṣat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb ‘slightly’

• utsmayamānaḥ: smiling
• utsmayamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + smi (स्मि धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘smiling’

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle

• lakṣmaṇam: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• puṇya-lakṣaṇam: of auspicious marks
• puṇya-lakṣaṇam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘puṇyaṃ lakṣaṇam yasya’; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies ‘lakṣmaṇam’

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular

• kākutsthaḥ: Kakutstha (Rama)
• kākutsthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet of Rama

• vākyam: speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• satya-parākramaḥ: whose valor is true
• satya-parākramaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘satyaḥ parākramaḥ yasya’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective of ‘kākutsthaḥ’

Context

On hearing the words of the king of Vanaras, Rama of Kakuthsa dynasty and of truthful valour looked at all and threw a smile slightly at meritorious Lakshmana and spoke these words.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Kākutstha)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sugrīva (Vānarādhipati, implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma is deliberative restraint: before deciding on refuge and war-policy, Rāma surveys the assembly and responds without haste, grounded in satya (truth).

What is the narrative situation?

After Sugrīva’s skeptical counsel, Rāma prepares to answer, signaling measured confidence and clarity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s satya-based steadiness and calm leadership, and his tacit rapport with Lakṣmaṇa.