Shloka 22

शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः

Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release

Devanagari script

प्रविश्यनगरींलङ्कांभवद् भ्यांधनदानुजः ।वक्तव्योरक्षसांराजायथोक्तंवचनंमम ।।।।

Transliteration

praviśya nagarīṃ laṅkāṃ bhavadbhyāṃ dhanadānujaḥ | vaktavyo rakṣasāṃ rājā yathoktaṃ vacanaṃ mama ||

Translation

เมื่อพวกเจ้าก้าวเข้าสู่นครลงกา จงกราบทูลถ้อยคำของเราตามที่กล่าวไว้ทุกประการแก่ราชาแห่งยักษ์—น้องของท้าวกุเวร ผู้ประทานทรัพย์

Word by Word

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √viś with prefix pra-; indeclinable verbal form meaning 'having entered'

• nagarīm: the city
• nagarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to nagarīm

• bhavadbhyām: to you two
• bhavadbhyām: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun-like honorific stem; Dual (द्विवचन), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया) or Dative (4th/चतुर्थी) form; here Dative sense 'to you two' (भवद्भ्याम्)

• dhanadānujaḥ: the younger brother of Dhanada (Kubera)
• dhanadānujaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanada + anuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'dhanadasya anujaḥ'

• vaktavyaḥ: is to be told
• vaktavyaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Future passive participle/gerundive (कृत्य/तव्यत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicative: 'is to be spoken/told'

• rakṣasām: of the Rakshasas
• rakṣasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग; collective usage), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to dhanadānujaḥ

• yathā-uktam: as stated
• yathā-uktam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning adverbially; 'as said' (यथा + उक्तम्)

• vacanam: words/message
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"Upon entering the city of Lanka, you may tell my words to the king of Rakshasas, the younger brother of Kubera just as it was told by me."

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• Kubera (Dhanada)
• Rākṣasas
• Śuka
• Sāraṇa

FAQs

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

Satya in communication: a message in diplomacy must be delivered faithfully, without distortion—truthfulness is part of righteous conduct even toward an adversary.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma turns the captured spies into messengers, instructing them to report his words verbatim to Rāvaṇa in Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and clarity—Rāma’s insistence on exact speech reflects disciplined diplomacy.