Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 4
शरबन्धनम् (The Binding by Arrows) / Indrajit’s Illusory Assault and the Vanaras’ Consolation
अचेष्टौमन्दनिश्श्वासौशोणितौघपरिप्लुतौ ।शरजालाचितौस्तब्दौशयानौशरतल्पयोः ।।6.46.4।।निःश्वसन्तौयथासर्पौनिश्चेष्टौमन्दविक्रमौ ।रुधिरस्राद्विग्धाङ्गौतापनीयाविवध्वजौ ।।6.46.5।।तौवीरशयनेवीरौशयानौमन्दचेष्टितौ ।यूथपैस्तै: परिवृतौबाष्पव्याकुललोचनैः ।।6.46.6।।राघवौपतितौदृष्टवाशरजालसमावृतौ ।बभूवुर्वेर्व्यथितास्सर्वेवानरास्सविभीषणाः ।।6.46.7।।
aceṣṭau manda-niśśvāsau śoṇitaugha-pariplutau |
śara-jālā-citau stabdhau śayānau śara-talpayoḥ ||6.46.4||
niḥśvasantau yathā sarpau niśceṣṭau manda-vikramau |
rudhira-srād-dhigdhāṅgau tāpanīyāv iva dhvajau ||6.46.5||
tau vīra-śayane vīrau śayānau manda-ceṣṭitau |
yūthapais taiḥ parivṛtau bāṣpa-vyākula-locanaiḥ ||6.46.6||
rāghavau patitau dṛṣṭvā śara-jāla-samāvṛtau |
babhūvur ver-vyathitāḥ sarve vānarāḥ sa-vibhīṣaṇāḥ ||6.46.7||
Tous deux gisaient sans mouvement, respirant faiblement, baignés de flots de sang ; leurs corps, remplis d’un filet de flèches, demeuraient hébétés sur un lit de traits. Soupirant comme des serpents, impuissants et inertes, les membres enduits de sang, ils semblaient deux étendards d’or renversés. Ces deux héros reposaient sur la couche des héros, remuant à peine, entourés des chefs de troupes, les yeux troublés de larmes. Voyant les deux Rāghava tombés et couverts d’un réseau de flèches, tous les guerriers vānara—Vibhīṣaṇa parmi eux—furent saisis d’angoisse et d’effroi.
Unable to move, with feeble breath, drenched in blood and the body covered all over with arrows, lying on a bed of arrows, stunned, with reduced prowess, sighing like serpents, the heroes, Rama, and Lakshmana, who were like golden posts became dull. Rama and Lakshmana were lying on a heroic bed, arrows stuck to the bodies. Vibheeshana and all the Vanaras kept seeing both the scions and wept surrounding them.
FAQs
The verse sets the ethical stakes of war: even righteous campaigns entail suffering; dharma requires compassion, steadiness, and continued responsibility amid grief.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are seen lying stricken on the battlefield, pierced by many arrows; the Vānara host and their allies are overwhelmed with fear and sorrow.
Collective loyalty and compassion—leaders and soldiers remain gathered around their fallen protectors rather than abandoning them.