Shloka 41

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

अर्थानर्थौविनिश्चित्यव्यवसायंभजेतह ।गुणतस्सङ्ग्रहंकुर्याद्दोषतस्तुविसर्जयेत् ।।6.17.41।।

Transliteration

arthānarthau viniścitya vyavasāyaṃ bhajeta ha |

guṇataḥ saṅgrahaṃ kuryād doṣatas tu visarjayet ||6.17.41||

Translation

نفع و نقصان کو خوب پرکھ کر آدمی کو پختہ عزم کے ساتھ راہِ عمل اختیار کرنی چاہیے؛ خوبیوں کی بنا پر قبول کرے اور عیبوں کی وجہ سے ترک کر دے۔

Word by Word

• अर्थानर्थौ: benefit and harm
• अर्थानर्थौ: Karma (कर्म/Object of विनिश्चित्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ-अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative): अर्थः च अनर्थः; पुल्लिङ्गः, द्विवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative dual)

• विनिश्चित्य: having determined
• विनिश्चित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+नि+चित् (धातु) + क्त्वा/ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-अर्थे अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having ascertained’

• व्यवसायम्: course of action
• व्यवसायम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of भजेत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवसाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative singular)

• भजेत: should adopt
• भजेत: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), पदपूरण/स्मरणार्थ (emphatic/expletive)

• गुणतः: by merits
• गुणतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: गुणतः = गुणदृष्ट्या (by virtue/with respect to merits)

• सङ्ग्रहम्: acceptance, taking in
• सङ्ग्रहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कुर्यात्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया (accusative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• दोषतः: by faults
• दोषतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: दोषतः = दोषदृष्ट्या (by faults/with respect to defects)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adversative particle)

• विसर्जयेत्: should abandon
• विसर्जयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Context

Ascertaining advantages and disadvantages one should take the right course of action, by acting if it is virtuous and giving up if it is faulty.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa (contextual referent)

FAQs

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

Righteous action requires discernment: weigh consequences, then align choices with virtue (guṇa) and avoid what is blameworthy (doṣa).

What is the narrative situation?

In the debate over accepting Vibhīṣaṇa, Angada proposes a principle of evaluation: determine pros and cons, then accept or reject accordingly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (clear judgment) and steadiness in policy—choosing based on ethical merits rather than impulse.