Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 102, Shloka 12
लक्ष्मण-प्राणरक्षा:
Lakshmana’s Revival by the Herb-Mountain
किंमेयुद्धेनकिंप्राणैर्युद्धकार्यं न विद्यते ।यत्रायंनिहतश्शेतेरणमूर्धनिलक्ष्मणः ।।।।
kiṃ me yuddhena kiṃ prāṇair yuddhakāryaṃ na vidyate | yatrāyaṃ nihataḥ śete raṇamūrdhani lakṣmaṇaḥ ||
મારે યુદ્ધથી શું, પ્રાણોથી શું? યુદ્ધનું કોઈ કાર્ય નથી, જ્યાં આ લક્ષ્મણ રણમૂર્ધે ઘાયલ થઈ પડ્યો છે.
'What purpose is there to fight in battle or in life with Lakshmana lying in the forefront struck in the battlefield?'
FAQs
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.
Rama, seeing Lakṣmaṇa down at the battlefront, voices despair and loss of purpose.
Deep relational responsibility—Rama’s life-purpose is tied to protecting those who uphold dharma.