Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 14
दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः
Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka
सगत्वादूरमध्वानमुपर्युपरिसागरम् ।संस्थितोह्यम्बरेवाक्यंसुग्रीवमिदमब्रवीत् ।।।।
sa gatvā dūram adhvānam upary-upari sāgaram | saṃsthito hy ambare vākyaṃ sugrīvam idam abravīt ||
Matapos maglakbay nang malayo, sa itaas nang itaas ng karagatan, tumigil siya sa himpapawid at nagsalita ng ganitong mga salita kay Sugrīva.
Suka having gone a long way in the sky to a distant place, stationed there spoke these words to Sugriva.
FAQs
The setup anticipates dharma of communication in war: even amid hostility, messages are delivered formally, raising the ideal of regulated conduct rather than chaos.
Śuka positions himself out of reach and begins delivering Rāvaṇa’s message to Sugrīva.
Caution and tactical positioning—speaking from the sky to avoid immediate capture.