Shloka 5

लक्ष्मणोपदेशः

Lakshmana Consoles Rama on Fate, Fortitude, and Right Action

Devanagari script

यदि दुःखमिदं प्राप्तं काकुत्स्थ न सहिष्यसे।प्राकृतश्चाल्पसत्त्वश्च इतरः कस्सहिष्यति।।3.66.5।।

Transliteration

yadi duḥkham idaṁ prāptaṁ kākutstha na sahiṣyase |

prākṛtaś cālpasattvaś ca itaraḥ kas sahiṣyati || 3.66.5 ||

Translation

O Kakutstha, wenn du diesen Schmerz, der dich getroffen hat, nicht erträgst, wer sonst—ein gewöhnlicher Mensch von geringer Kraft—könnte ihn ertragen?

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Śarthe avyaya (conditional particle/शर्त)

• duḥkham: sorrow
• duḥkham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here Prathamā as subject of prāptam

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of duḥkham

• prāptam: has befallen/has come
• prāptam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prāp (प्राप् धातु)
• Form: Kta (past participle), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate with implied 'asti'

• kākutstha: O Kakutstha (Rama)
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation/निषेध)

• sahiṣyase: you will endure
• sahiṣyase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sah (सह् धातु)
• Form: Luṭ? actually Lṛṭ-lakāra (Simple future/लृट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada

• prākṛtaḥ: an ordinary man
• prākṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-avyaya

• alpasattvaḥ: one of little strength
• alpasattvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alpa + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: alpaṃ sattvam yasya/ alpa-sattvaḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-avyaya

• itaraḥ: another (ordinary person)
• itaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kaḥ: who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun

• sahiṣyati: will endure
• sahiṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sah (सह् धातु)
• Form: Lṛṭ-lakāra (Simple future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

Context

King Dasaratha, impelled by your virtues, and separation from you attained godhood as heard from Bharata.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Rama

FAQs

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

Dharma as dhṛti (steadfast endurance): leaders must bear personal suffering without abandoning righteous responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana challenges Rama’s breakdown, urging him to endure and recover composure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fortitude (kṣamā/dhṛti) expected of Rama as an exemplar for others.