Shloka 6

अङ्गदस्य प्रायोपवेशननिश्चयः

Angada’s Resolve to Fast unto Death

Devanagari script

लक्ष्मणस्य भयाद्येन नाधर्मभयभीरुणा।आदिष्टा मार्गितुं सीतां धर्ममस्मिन्कथं भवेत्।।।।

Transliteration

lakṣmaṇasya bhayād yena nādharmabhayabhīruṇā |

ādiṣṭā mārgituṃ sītāṃ dharmam asmin kathaṃ bhavet ||

Translation

他命人寻觅悉多，是因惧怕罗什曼那，并非畏惧不义（阿达摩）。如此之人，何来达摩可言？

Word by Word

• lakṣmaṇasya: of Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yena: by whom/whereby
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन), Relative pronoun (यत्-प्रत्यय)

• na: not
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• adharma-bhaya-bhīruṇā: by one fearful of fear of unrighteousness
• adharma-bhaya-bhīruṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhīru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying implied agent; compound: adharmasya bhayam (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + bhayabhīru (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘fearful of fear’)

• ādiṣṭāḥ: were ordered
• ādiṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive: कर्मकर्तृ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√diś (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); used predicatively ‘(we) were ordered’

• mārgitum: to search
• mārgitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛg (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), expressing purpose (प्रयोजन)

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dharmam: righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmin: in this (matter)
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), demonstrative pronoun

• katham: how
• katham: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• bhavet: could be / would be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Context

'Sugriva ordered search for Sita out of fear of Lakshmana and not out of fear of unrighteousness. How can such a man be pious?

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Sugrīva
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as inner moral restraint: a ruler or leader should act from righteousness itself (fear of adharma and commitment to duty), not merely from fear of punishment or a stronger person.

What is the narrative situation?

After failing to find Sītā within the allotted time, Angada laments and criticizes Sugrīva’s motivation, arguing that the mission was driven by fear of Lakṣmaṇa rather than genuine duty toward Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral integrity in leadership—acting from dharma rather than coercion or fear.