Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 47, Shloka 19
पुष्पकविमानेन सीताया युद्धभूमिदर्शनम्
Sita Shown the Battlefield in the Pushpaka
ततस्सीताददर्शोभौशयानौशरतल्पगौ ।लक्ष्मणंचापिरामंचविसंज्ञौशरपीडितौ ।।।।विध्वस्तकवचौवीरौविप्रविद्धशरासनौ ।सायकैचशिन्नसर्वाङ्गौशरस्तम्बमयौक्षितौ ।।।।
tatas sītā dadarśobhau śayānau śaratalpagau | lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāmaṃ ca visaṃjñau śarapīḍitau | vidhvastakavacau vīrau vipraviddhaśarāsanau | sāyakaiś chinnasarvāṅgau śarastambhamayau kṣitau ||
Then Sītā saw both of them—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa—lying on a bed of arrows, unconscious and tormented by shafts; the two heroes had their armour shattered and their bows flung away, their limbs cut and pierced by missiles, as though they were bodies made of arrow-reeds upon the ground.
Thereafter Sita beheld both Rama and Lakshmana lying on the bed of arrows, unconscious, struck by arrows, with shields of darts, arrows with feathers, all limbs wounded with shattered armour, bows and reeds.
FAQs
Dharma is tested in suffering: even when righteousness appears defeated, steadfastness and truth endure beyond appearances created by adharma and illusion.
Sītā is shown a harrowing sight of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa lying unconscious on an arrow-bed, presented to break her resolve.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa’s warrior steadfastness (vīrya) is implied, while Sītā’s fidelity is tested by the apparent catastrophe.