Shloka 21

न्यग्रोध

प्रवेश-निवारणम् (Preventing Indrajit’s Banyan-Tree Rite) / Indrajit Confronts Vibhishana

Devanagari script

धर्मात्प्रच्युतशीलंहिपुरुषंपापनिश्चयम् ।।6.87.21।।त्यक्त्वासुखमवाप्नोतिहस्तादाशीविषंयथा ।

Transliteration

dharmāt pracyutaśīlaṃ hi puruṣaṃ pāpaniścayam || 6.87.21 || tyaktvā sukham avāpnoti hastād āśīviṣaṃ yathā |

Translation

Quả thật, từ bỏ kẻ đã lìa xa dharma, bản tính sa đọa và quyết chí làm ác, thì sẽ được an ổn—như giũ rắn độc khỏi bàn tay.

Word by Word

• dharmāt: from dharma
• dharmāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (Abl sg)

• pracyutaśīlam: one whose conduct has fallen away
• pracyutaśīlam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-cyuta (प्रातिपदिक; from √cyu) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् ‘puruṣam’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (indeed/for)

• puruṣam: a man
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• pāpaniścayam: of sinful resolve
• pāpaniścayam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘sinful-intent’; विशेषणम् ‘puruṣam’

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘avāpnoti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• avāpnoti: attains
• avāpnoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• hastāt: from the hand
• hastāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (Abl sg)

• āśīviṣam: a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣam: Karma (कर्म/object of implied ‘tyaktvā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• yathā: like
• yathā: Upamana (उपमान/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (as/like)

Context

"I do not delight in cruel deeds, nor follow unrighteousness. Or else because of unfavourable disposition how can a brother be expelled by a brother?"

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Indrajit (Meghanāda)
• Rāvaṇa (implied as dharma-deviant)

FAQs

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

One should renounce association with those who have fallen from dharma and are committed to sin; moral separation is protective and purifying.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa justifies his break from Ravana’s camp by framing it as leaving a dharma-deviant, dangerous association.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment) and moral courage—the willingness to detach from harmful bonds for the sake of dharma.