Shloka 20

युद्धकाण्डे द्वितीयः सर्गः — Sugriva’s Counsel: From Grief to Strategy

Bridge to Lanka

Devanagari script

तदलंशोकमालम्ब्यक्रोधमालम्बभूपते ।निश्चेष्टाःक्षत्रियामन्दास्सर्वेचण्डस्यबिभ्यति ।।।।

Transliteration

tad alaṃ śokam ālambya krodham ālamba bhūpate | niśceṣṭāḥ kṣatriyā mandāḥ sarve caṇḍasya bibhyati ||

Translation

Hỡi bậc chúa tể cõi đất, đủ rồi việc bám víu vào sầu não—hãy nương nơi cơn phẫn nộ chính nghĩa. Khi chiến sĩ bất động thì hóa nhu nhược; còn kẻ dữ dội, quyết liệt thì ai nấy đều khiếp sợ.

Word by Word

• tat: therefore
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya particle: "therefore"

• alam: enough
• alam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: alam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, cessative: "enough"

• śokam: sorrow
• śokam: Karma (कर्म/object of ālambya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• ālambya: having clung to
• ālambya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√lamb (धातु) + lyap (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta gerund (ल्यप्): "having resorted to/holding on to"

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ālamba: take up; resort to
• ālamba: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√lamb (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana, parasmaipada

• bhūpate: O king
• bhūpate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• niśceṣṭāḥ: inactive, motionless
• niśceṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niḥ + ceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicate adjective of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• kṣatriyāḥ: kṣatriyas, warriors
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• mandāḥ: dull, weak
• mandāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; further qualifier of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifier of "kṣatriyāḥ"

• caṇḍasya: of the fierce one
• caṇḍasya: Apādāna-bhaya (अपादान/भय-हेतु: source of fear)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; "of the fierce (one)"

• bibhyati: fear
• bibhyati: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Prathama puruṣa, Bahuvacana, parasmaipada

Context

"O Exterminator of foes! By whatever means the ocean is crossed by us, think that the enemy has been killed in combat."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (as king addressed: bhūpati)
• kṣatriya (warrior ideal)

FAQs

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

Kṣātra-dharma: grief must not paralyze duty; controlled, purposeful anger (directed toward justice) can restore the energy needed to protect dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

On the eve of the ocean-crossing and war, Rāma is urged to abandon sorrow and adopt a battle-ready stance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vīrya (valor/energy): active resolve rather than inert lamentation.