Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 5
शरबन्धनविलापः
The Lament under the Net of Arrows
किंनुमेसीतयाकार्यंकिंकार्यंजीवितेनवा ।शयानंयोऽद्यपश्यामिभ्रातरंयुधिनिर्जितम् ।।6.49.5।।
kiṃ nu me sītayā kāryaṃ kiṃ kāryaṃ jīvitena vā | śayānaṃ yo 'dya paśyāmi bhrātaraṃ yudhi nirjitam ||6.49.5||
À quoi me sert Sītā — à quoi me sert même la vie — quand aujourd'hui je vois mon frère gisant vaincu sur le champ de bataille ?
In the meantime, Rama, although bound, being a man of fortitude established in spiritual discipline, returned to consciousness.
FAQs
Dharma is framed as gratitude and obligation: Rāma’s mission (including Sītā’s recovery) is morally inseparable from the life and sacrifice of his dharmic companion, Lakṣmaṇa.
Believing Lakṣmaṇa to be fallen/defeated in battle, Rāma speaks in despair, questioning the value of victory or even life.
Fidelity to relationships and moral accounting: Rāma measures success not by goals achieved but by whether those bound to him by dharma are preserved.