Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 28

सरमायाḥ सीतासान्त्वनम् तथा रावणनिश्चयश्रवणम्

Saarana Consoles Sita and Reports Ravana’s Resolve

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वातुतद्वानरसैन्यशब्दंलङ्कागताराक्षसराजभृत्याः ।नष्टौजसोदैन्यरीतचेष्टाःश्रेयोनपश्यन्तिनृपस्यदोषैः ।।।।

Transliteration

śrutvā tu tad vānarasainyaśabdaṃ laṅkāgatā rākṣasarājabhṛtyāḥ |

naṣṭaujaso dainyarītaceṣṭāḥ śreyo na paśyanti nṛpasya doṣaiḥ ||

Translation

Nang marinig nila ang sigaw ng hukbo ng mga vānara, ang mga lingkod ng hari ng rākṣasa sa loob ng Laṅkā ay nanghina ang loob; nalugmok sa panghihina, wala silang nakitang mabuting kahihinatnan dahil sa mga pagkukulang ng kanilang pinuno.

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), ‘श्रुत्वा’ = having heard

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vānarasainyaśabdam: the sound of the vanara army
• vānarasainyaśabdam: Karma (कर्म/object of hearing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara + sainya + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध: ‘वानरसैन्यस्य शब्दः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• laṅkāgatāḥ: having come to/being in Lanka
• laṅkāgatāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laṅkā + gata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी: ‘लङ्कायां गताः’), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• rākṣasarājabhṛtyāḥ: servants of the Rakshasa-king
• rākṣasarājabhṛtyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + rāja + bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘राक्षसराजस्य भृत्याः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• naṣṭaujasaḥ: whose vigor was lost
• naṣṭaujasaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naṣṭa + ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘नष्टम् ओजः येषाम्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• dainyarītaceṣṭāḥ: acting in a depressed manner
• dainyarītaceṣṭāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dainya + rīta + ceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘दैन्यरीता चेष्टा’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• śreyaḥ: what is best/welfare
• śreyaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• paśyanti: see
• paśyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• nṛpasya: of the king
• nṛpasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• doṣaiḥ: because of faults
• doṣaiḥ: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Context

"He, that Ravana makes even the frightful Rakshasa care takers threaten me and reproach me repeatedly every day."

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasas
• Rāvaṇa (implied as nṛpa/rākṣasarāja)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches ruler-responsibility: a king’s adharma brings fear and hopelessness upon his own people; leadership must align with dharma for public welfare (śreyas).

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasas in Laṅkā react to the vānaras’ thunderous advance, losing morale and blaming the grim situation on their king’s misdeeds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment in governance: it underscores the necessity of righteous leadership and the consequences when a ruler lacks it.