Shloka 5

धूम्राक्षप्रेषणम्

The Dispatch of Dhūmrākṣa

Devanagari script

तौतुबद्धौशरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्भ्रातरौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।अयंचसुमहान्नादशङ्कांजनयतीवमे ।।6.51.5।।

Transliteration

tau tu baddhau śarais tīkṣṇair bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau |

ayaṃ ca sumahān nādaḥ śaṅkāṃ janayatīva me ॥6.51.5॥

Translation

Obwohl die beiden Brüder, Rāma und Lakṣmaṇa, von scharfen Pfeilen gebunden sind, erweckt dieses gewaltige Tosen in mir Zweifel: Was ist geschehen, dass sie so jubeln?

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (dual)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• बद्धौ: bound
• बद्धौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् — तौ/भ्रातरौ

• शरैः: by arrows
• शरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् — शरैः

• भ्रातरौ: the two brothers
• भ्रातरौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (rāmaś ca lakṣmaṇaś ca)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — नादः

• नादः: sound, roar
• नादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शङ्काम्: doubt, suspicion
• शङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• जनयति: produces, causes
• जनयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (as if)

• मे: to me, in me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic); अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) अधिकम् — ‘to me/in me’

Context

"The two brothers Rama and Lakshmana are bound by sharp arrows. By the loud noise that I hear I doubt in my mind!"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• śara (arrows)

FAQs

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

Even an adversary recognizes the need to seek truth: dharma values accurate understanding of reality before action, especially in crisis.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa hears the vānaras’ triumphant roar and is unsettled because he believes Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa have been immobilized.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence: the impulse to reassess assumptions when evidence (the roar) contradicts one’s expectations.