Shloka 3

शुकसारण-चारप्रवेशः

Suka and Sāraṇa’s Espionage and Release

Devanagari script

सागरेसेतुबन्दंतुनश्रद्दध्यांकथञ्चन ।अवश्यंचापिसङ् ख्येयंतन्मयावानरंबलम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sāgare setubandhaṃ tu na śraddadhyāṃ kathañcana | avaśyaṃ cāpi saṅkhyeyaṃ tan mayā vānaraṃ balam ||

Translation

Ta chẳng thể nào tin được rằng một cây cầu đã được bắc qua biển cả. Tuy vậy, ta nhất định phải dò xét cho rõ sức mạnh và số lượng của đạo quân Vānara ấy.

Word by Word

• सागरे: in the ocean
• सागरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सेतुबन्धम्: bridge-building
• सेतुबन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: ‘binding/constructing of a bridge’); पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• श्रद्धध्याम्: I would believe (we two would believe)
• श्रद्धध्याम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śrad-dhā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), द्विवचन (dual); परस्मैपद; धातु: धा (to place) with ‘श्रत्’ prefix sense ‘to trust/believe’

• कथञ्चन: at all, in any way
• कथञ्चन: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘in any way/at all’

• अवश्यम्: surely
• अवश्यम्: Sambandha (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-नपुंसक-एकवचन (used adverbially); क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• सङ्ख्येयम्: countable / to be counted
• सङ्ख्येयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅkhyeya (प्रातिपदिक; from saṅkhyā (धातु √khyā) + यत्/णीय)
• Form: णीय/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be counted’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्य-निर्देश (demonstrative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• वानरम्: monkey
• वानरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of बलम्)

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

"O king of Rakshasas! Vibheeshana held us captive for slaying us. But righteous self, Rama, the highly effulgent one released us on seeing."

Characters & Entities

• Sāgara (the sea)
• Setu (bridge)

FAQs

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

Dharma here aligns with responsible judgment: before acting, one must seek truthful assessment of facts (satya) rather than relying on disbelief or pride.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s agents have witnessed the astonishing sea-bridge; the speaker admits disbelief but insists on accurately assessing the Vānara forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and realism—valuing verification and strategic clarity over denial.