Shloka 18

स्वयंप्रभा-संवादः

Svayamprabha’s Dialogue with the Vanaras

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता तु धर्मज्ञैर्वानरैस्तैस्स्वयंप्रभा।।।।प्रत्युवाच ततस्सर्वानिदं वानरपुङ्गवान्।

Transliteration

evam uktā tu dharmajñair vānarais tais svayaṃprabhā | pratyuvāca tataḥ sarvān idaṃ vānarapuṅgavān ||

Translation

被那些通晓法义的众猴如此询问后，斯瓦扬普拉芭便对诸位猴中领袖答以如下之言。

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• uktā: addressed / spoken to
• uktā: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive sense: 'having been addressed')
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with स्वयंप्रभा

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunction (निपात)

• dharmajñaiḥ: by the knowers of dharma
• dharmajñaiḥ: Karana (करण) / Karta (कर्ता) (agent of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agent in passive construction

• vānaraiḥ: by the monkeys
• vānaraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; apposition to धर्मज्ञैः

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; deictic pronoun qualifying vānaraiḥ

• svayaṃprabhā: Svayaṃprabhā
• svayaṃprabhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svayaṃprabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; proper name; bahuvrīhi sense 'having self-lustre'

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (काल/देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sarvān: all (of them)
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; object of pratyuvāca

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object 'this (speech)' implied

• vānarapuṅgavān: leader among monkeys
• vānarapuṅgavān: Sambodhana/Viśeṣya (सम्बोधन/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; title/epithet used for the addressed leaders (contextually)

Context

To the leaders among the monkeys, knowers of dharma, who said this Svayamprabha replied:

Characters & Entities

• Svayaṃprabhā
• vānarāḥ

FAQs

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

The verse affirms the authority of dharma-aware interlocutors: those who recognize dharma invite dharma-aligned counsel, enabling truthful and righteous resolution.

What is the narrative situation?

The text transitions from the monkeys’ request to Svayaṃprabhā’s formal reply, marking the start of her response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for dharma and proper dialogue—seeking and giving counsel in a morally grounded manner.