Shloka 6

दूत-नीति, शुक-प्रसङ्गः

Envoy-Ethics and the Episode of Śuka

Devanagari script

बलंचामाकाशमावृत्यसर्वतोदशयोजनम् ।तत्त्वभूतंमहाराज क्षिप्रंवेदितुमर्हसि ।।।।

Transliteration

balaṃ cām ākāśam āvṛtya sarvato daśa-yojanam |

tattva-bhūtaṃ mahārāja kṣipraṃ veditum arhasi ||

Translation

اور لشکر ہر سمت پھیل کر دس یوجن تک آکاش کو ڈھانپتا ہوا دکھائی دیتا ہے۔ اے مہاراج! حقیقتِ حال کو فوراً جان لینا آپ کے لیے مناسب ہے۔

Word by Word

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (त्वद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• dūtāḥ: messengers/spies
• dūtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• mahārāja: O great king
• mahārāja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipram (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• arhanti: are fit/ought
• arhanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• avekṣitum: to observe
• avekṣitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + īkṣ (ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): to observe/inspect

• upapradānam: offering (gifts/bribe)
• upapradānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upa + pradāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नीति-शब्दः (policy): offering/bribery/conciliation by gifts

• sāntvam: conciliation
• sāntvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāntva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नीति-शब्दः: conciliation

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle); अर्थः—वा (or)

• bhedaḥ: dissension
• bhedaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नीति-शब्दः: dissension/creating division

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (or)

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place); अर्थः—अत्र (here/in this matter)

• prayujyatām: let it be employed
• prayujyatām: Vidhi (विधि/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yuj (युज् धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let it be applied/used’

Context

"Having heard the lamentation, Rama said to the Vanaras" Do not kill him. Set him free as he had come as an envoy."৷৷ ইত্যার্ষেবাল্মীকীযেশ্রীমদ্রামাযণেআদিকাব্যেযুদ্ধকাণ্ডেবিংশস্সর্গঃ ৷৷This is the end of the twentieth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vānara army (implied)

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) in counsel: a ruler must face accurate information and respond responsibly, rather than denying reality.

What is the narrative situation?

A messenger warns Rāvaṇa about the scale and spread of the opposing forces, urging immediate understanding of the situation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence in governance: timely awareness and decision-making based on facts.