Shloka 12

लक्ष्मण-प्राणरक्षा:

Lakshmana’s Revival by the Herb-Mountain

Devanagari script

किंमेयुद्धेनकिंप्राणैर्युद्धकार्यं न विद्यते ।यत्रायंनिहतश्शेतेरणमूर्धनिलक्ष्मणः ।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ me yuddhena kiṃ prāṇair yuddhakāryaṃ na vidyate | yatrāyaṃ nihataḥ śete raṇamūrdhani lakṣmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

À quoi me sert la guerre, à quoi me sert la vie ? Il n’est plus de raison de combattre lorsque Lakṣmaṇa gît frappé au tout premier rang de la mêlée.

Word by Word

• kim: what (use)
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• me: to me / for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• yuddhena: with battle / by fighting
• yuddhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• kim: what (use)
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• prāṇaiḥ: with life-breaths / with life
• prāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• yuddha-kāryam: the purpose/need of fighting
• yuddha-kāryam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of battle' + 'purpose/need'

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

• vidyate: exists / is known
• vidyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada; existential 'is found'

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (सम्बन्ध-अव्यय)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• nihataḥ: slain/struck down
• nihataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√han (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śete: lies
• śete: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śī (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• raṇa-mūrdhani: at the forefront of battle
• raṇa-mūrdhani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of battle' + 'head/top/front'

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Context

'What purpose is there to fight in battle or in life with Lakshmana lying in the forefront struck in the battlefield?'

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• battlefront (raṇa-mūrdhan)

FAQs

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

The verse dramatizes a dharmic crisis: Rama’s sense of duty is inseparable from the lives and sacrifices of the righteous; he refuses to treat war as an abstract achievement.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama, seeing Lakṣmaṇa down at the battlefront, voices despair and loss of purpose.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deep relational responsibility—Rama’s life-purpose is tied to protecting those who uphold dharma.