Shloka 5

दूतधर्म-परामर्शः

Envoy-Immunity and Royal Counsel in Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र प्रसीद मद्वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व।वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः।।।।

Transliteration

kṣamasva roṣaṃ tyaja rākṣasendra prasīda madvākyam idaṃ śṛṇuṣva |

vadhaṃ na kurvanti parāvarajñā dūtasya santo vasudhādhipendrāḥ ||

Translation

“اے راکشسوں کے راجا! اس غضب کو معاف کر، اسے چھوڑ دے؛ مہربان ہو اور میری یہ بات سن۔ نیک اور دھرم کے جاننے والے زمین کے بادشاہ دوت (قاصد) کو قتل نہیں کرتے۔”

Word by Word

• kṣamasva: forgive
• kṣamasva: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣam (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• roṣam: anger
• roṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object of kṣamasva/tyaja)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tyaja: abandon
• tyaja: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rākṣasendra: O king of rakshasas
• rākṣasendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः = king of rakshasas)

• prasīda: be pleased/calm down
• prasīda: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mat-vākyam: my words
• mat-vākyam: Karma (कर्म/Object of śṛṇuṣva)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मम वाक्यम् = my words)

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mat-vākyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• śṛṇuṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• vadham: killing
• vadham: Karma (कर्म/Object of kurvanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• kurvanti: do/commit
• kurvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• parāvara-jñāḥ: knowers of what is higher and lower
• parāvara-jñāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kurvanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (परं च अवरं च जानन्ति = know right and wrong/high and low)

• dūtasya: of an envoy
• dūtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• santaḥ: good people
• santaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to parāvarajñāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘good men’

• vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥ: foremost kings of the earth
• vasudhā-adhipa-indrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वसुधायाः अधिपाः = kings; तेषाम् इन्द्राः = foremost)

Context

Vibhishana who stood by the right course of action, having realised that the lord of demons was angry pondered over his duty.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• dūta (envoy/messenger)
• kings (vasudhādhipa)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma forbids killing a messenger; even in hostility, ethical rules of diplomacy protect envoys.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, acting as Rāma’s messenger, has been captured; Rāvaṇa’s anger rises, and Vibhīṣaṇa intervenes to prevent execution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s commitment to dharma and truthful counsel, prioritizing ethical governance over vengeance.