Shloka 4

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

पुत्रौदशरथस्येमौभ्रातरौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।।।।उत्तमौरूपसम्पन्नौसीतायाःपदमागतौ ।एतौसागरमासाद्यसन्निविष्टौमहाद्युती ।।।।

Transliteration

putrau daśarathasyemau bhrātarau rāma-lakṣmaṇau |

uttamau rūpa-sampannau sītāyāḥ padam āgatau ||

etau sāgaram āsādya sanniviṣṭau mahā-dyutī ||

Translation

สองพระโอรสแห่งทศรถนี้ คือสองพี่น้องพระรามและพระลักษมณ์ ผู้ประเสริฐ งามสง่า พร้อมด้วยคุณสมบัติ ได้มุ่งมาถึงเพื่อสืบเสาะรอยพระนางสีดา ครั้นถึงฝั่งมหาสมุทรแล้ว วีรบุรุษผู้รุ่งเรืองทั้งสองได้ตั้งค่ายอยู่ ณ ที่นั้น

Word by Word

• putrau: two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्

• daśarathasya: of Dasharatha
• daśarathasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• imau: these two
• imau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• bhrātarau: two brothers
• bhrātarau: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (भ्रातृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्

• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Rama and Lakshmana
• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; द्वन्द्व-समासः (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व): रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च

• uttamau: excellent
• uttamau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्

• rūpa-sampannau: endowed with beauty
• rūpa-sampannau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa + sampanna (सम्पन्न, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from sam+pad)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘sampanna’; तत्पुरुष-समासः: रूपेण सम्पन्नौ (endowed with beauty)

• sītāyāḥ: of Sita
• sītāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• padam: place/abode
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र—स्थानम्/पदम् (place/trace)

• āgatau: have come
• āgatau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (गम् धातु) → āgata (आगत, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively: ‘have come’

• etau: these two
• etau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• sāgaram: the ocean
• sāgaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• āsādya: having reached
• āsādya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having reached/approached

• sanniviṣṭau: are settled
• sanniviṣṭau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ni + viś (विश् धातु) → sanniviṣṭa (सन्निविष्ट, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): seated/encamped

• mahādyutī: highly illustrious
• mahādyutī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्; कर्मधारय-समासः: महती द्युतिः यस्य (greatly radiant/illustrious)

Context

"If my wings are cut off and my eyes are injured, on account of that inauspicious act you will take on all sins of my life from the night I was born till the night I am dead leaving my original form, even will happen (Suka tells Rama)."

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Sāgara (ocean/sea)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the righteous resolve to restore justice—Rāma’s journey is directed toward rescuing Sītā, framed as a purposeful, principled mission rather than mere conquest.

What is the narrative situation?

A Rākṣasa informant reports to Rāvaṇa that Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa have reached the seashore and established a camp, signaling imminent action against Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness and radiance (mahā-dyuti): the brothers’ disciplined advance and calm establishment of camp reflects controlled strength guided by duty.