Shloka 6.49.11

शरबन्धनविलापः (The Lament under the Net of Arrows)

Devanagari script

उपालम्बंनशक्ष्यामिसोढुंबतसुमित्रया ।इहैवदेहंत्यक्ष्यामिनहिजीवितुमुत्सहे ।।6.49.11।।

Transliteration

upālambaṃ na śakṣyāmi soḍhuṃ bata sumitrayā |

ihaiva dehaṃ tyakṣyāmi na hi jīvitum utsahe || 6.49.11 ||

Translation

Alas, I will not be able to endure Sumitrā’s reproach. Here itself I shall give up this body—for I have no will to go on living.

Context

"If Sumithra asks me, I can't endure. I cannot bear it. I shall give up my body, my life here itself."

Characters & Entities

• Sumitrā
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as the gravity of relational duty: Rāma recognizes that actions have moral consequences within family and community, and that blame (just or unjust) is part of ethical accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, overwhelmed, imagines Sumitrā’s grief and accusation if Lakṣmaṇa is truly lost, and speaks of abandoning life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and moral sensitivity: Rāma anticipates another’s suffering (a mother’s) and feels answerable to it.