Shloka 31

Devanagari script

हीयमानमथोऽपश्यत्सुग्रीवं वानरेश्वरम्।वीक्षमाणं दिशश्चैव राघवस्स मुहुर्मुहुः4.16.31।।

Transliteration

hīyamānam atho 'paśyat sugrīvaṃ vānarēśvaram |

vīkṣamāṇaṃ diśaś caiva rāghavaḥ sa muhur muhuḥ || 4.16.31 ||

Translation

تب رाघو (رام) نے دیکھا کہ سُگریو، وानروں کا سردار، کمزور پڑ رہا ہے؛ اور وہ بار بار چاروں سمتوں کی طرف دیکھتا ہے، گویا مدد کا طالب ہو۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great splendor
• mahā-tejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘mahā tejas yasya’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārtam: distressed
• ārtam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with harīśvaram

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Hetu (हेतु/Causal circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)

• harīśvaram: the monkey-lord (Sugrīva)
• harīśvaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘harīṇām īśvaraḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaram: arrow
• śaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• vīkṣate: looks for/observes
• vīkṣate: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• vīraḥ: the hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to rāmaḥ

• vālinaḥ: of Vāli
• vālinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vadha-kāraṇāt: for the purpose/cause of killing
• vadha-kāraṇāt: Hetu (हेतु/Purpose-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vadhasya kāraṇam’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

O timid lady! to swallow insult (without facing the opponent) is worse than death forindomitable heroes (like me) who know no retreat in a battle.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Sugrīva
• directions (diśaḥ)

FAQs

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

It foregrounds satya and dharma in friendship: having pledged help to Sugrīva, Rāma attentively watches the moment when assistance becomes a duty, not an option.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva begins to falter and looks around repeatedly; Rāma perceives this, foreshadowing his intervention.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s vigilance and responsibility toward an ally—readiness to uphold a promise at the critical moment.