Shloka 8

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

शार्दूलस्यवचश्श्रुत्वारावणोराक्षसेश्वरः ।उवाचसहसाव्यग्रस्सम्प्रधार्यार्थमात्मनः ।।।।शुकंनामतदारक्षोवाक्यमर्थविदांवरम् ।

Transliteration

śārdūlasyā vacaḥ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

uvāca sahasā vyagraḥ sampradhāryārtham ātmanaḥ ||

śukaṃ nāma tadā rakṣo vākyam artha-vidāṃ varam ||

Translation

ครั้นได้ฟังถ้อยคำของศารฺฑูล ราวณะผู้เป็นจอมแห่งรากษสก็พลันกระวนกระวาย; เมื่อไตร่ตรองทางดำเนินของตนแล้ว จึงกล่าวแก่รากษสชื่อศุกะ ผู้เลิศในหมู่ผู้รู้ความหมายแห่งวาจา

Word by Word

• शार्दूलस्य: of Śārdūla
• शार्दूलस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive); एकवचनम् — 'of Śārdūla'

• वचः: words, speech
• वचः: कर्म (object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative); एकवचनम् — 'speech/words'

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive) — 'having heard'

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: कर्ता (subject of उवाच)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative); एकवचनम् — 'Rāvaṇa'

• राक्षसेश्वरः: lord of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसेश्वरः: कर्ता (apposition to रावणः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानाम् ईश्वरः) — 'lord of the rākṣasas'

• उवाच: spoke, said
• उवाच: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) — लिट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person); एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — 'said/spoke'

• सहसा: suddenly, rashly
• सहसा: क्रियाविशेषणम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) — 'suddenly/impetuously'

• व्यग्रः: agitated, disturbed
• व्यग्रः: कर्ता-विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — विशेषणम् (qualifying रावणः) — 'agitated/disturbed'

• सम्प्रधार्य: having deliberated
• सम्प्रधार्य: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + धृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive) — 'having considered/deliberated'

• अर्थम्: the matter, purpose
• अर्थम्: कर्म (object of सम्प्रधार्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — 'purpose/meaning/matter'

• आत्मनः: of himself, his own
• आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — 'of himself/one's own'

• शुकम्: Śuka
• शुकम्: कर्म (object of उवाच—addressed/mentioned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — 'Śuka' (proper name)

• नाम: by name, called
• नाम: विशेषणार्थक-अव्ययम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-प्रयोगः (particle indicating appellation) — 'by name/called'

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (adverbial time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् — 'then'

• रक्षः: the rākṣasa (demon)
• रक्षः: कर्म (apposition to शुकम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — 'a rākṣasa/demon' (appositional to शुकम्)

• वाक्यम्: a statement, words
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (object of उवाच)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — 'speech/statement' (what was spoken)

• अर्थविदाम्: of the wise (knowers of meaning)
• अर्थविदाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + विद् (प्रातिपदिकौ: अर्थविद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अर्थं वेत्ति इति अर्थविद्; तेषाम्) — 'of the knowers of meaning/purpose'

• वरम्: excellent, foremost
• वरम्: कर्म-विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् — विशेषणम् (qualifying शुकम्/रक्षः) — 'excellent/supreme'

Context

"Great sons of Dasaratha, Rama and Lakshmana, endowed with beautiful form and exceptional fortitude have come and set their foot on the seashore and settled to come to Sita."

Characters & Entities

• Śārdūla
• Rāvaṇa
• Śuka

FAQs

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

Leadership demands deliberation: even amid fear or agitation, a ruler should reflect before acting—an ethical discipline of mind.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa, reacting to the intelligence report, decides on a response and turns to Śuka, choosing him as an envoy/advisor figure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (artha-jñāna): selecting a capable messenger skilled in meaning and policy.