Shloka 16

शरत्प्रवेशे रामविलापः तथा सुग्रीवप्रमादे लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम्

Autumn’s Onset: Rama’s Lament and Lakshmana Sent to Sugriva

Devanagari script

किमार्य कामस्य वशंगतेनकिमात्मपौरुष्यपराभवेन।अयं सदा संह्रियते समाधिःकिमत्र योगेन निवर्तितेन।।

Transliteration

kim ārya kāmasya vaśaṃgatenā

kim ātmapauruṣyaparābhavena |

ayaṃ sadā saṃhriyate samādhiḥ

kim atra yogena nivartitena ||4.30.16||

Translation

高貴なる兄上よ、なぜ欲に屈し、なぜご自身の勇気を挫かせるのですか。常に保たれてきた静かな定心が失われつつあります—この時にこそ自制と内なる安定を捨ててはなりません。

Word by Word

• kim: what use?/why?
• kim: Prayojana/Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle used adverbially (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• ārya: O noble one
• ārya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• kāmasya: of desire/Kāma
• kāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• vaśaṃgatena: by having fallen under (its) sway
• vaśaṃgatena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु; by/through being under control)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaśaṃgata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √gam (धातु) + kta with vaśaṃ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; avyayībhāva-like formation: vaśam (under control) + gata (gone); instrumental of state/condition

• kim: what (use)?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• ātma-pauruṣya-parābhavena: by the defeat of one’s own valor
• ātma-pauruṣya-parābhavena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman + pauruṣya + parābhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: ‘defeat (parābhava) of one’s own manliness (ātma-pauruṣya)’

• ayam: this
• ayam: Kartā (कर्ता; subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time/frequency (काल-अव्यय)

• saṃhriyate: is withdrawn
• saṃhriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ + √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Ātmanepada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; passive/reflexive sense ‘is withdrawn’

• samādhiḥ: composure/concentration
• samādhiḥ: Kartā (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kim: what (use)?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्न-अव्यय)

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; scope)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deictic adverb (देश-अव्यय)

• yogena: by yoga/discipline
• yogena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• nivartitena: by (yoga) that has been restrained/ceased
• nivartitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni + √vṛt (धातु) (causative/ktānta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त) in instrumental: ‘with/through (something) restrained/turned back’

Context

'O revered brother! why do you succumb to passion and loss of self-confidence? Why is the usual composure of your mind withdrawn? Why do you desist from yaga?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Kāma (desire/passion, personified concept)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires self-mastery: grief and longing must not overthrow resolve. Lakṣmaṇa urges Rāma to return to disciplined action rooted in truth and duty rather than surrendering to passion.

What is the narrative situation?

After finding Rāma overcome by sorrow, Lakṣmaṇa counsels him sharply, insisting he regain composure so the mission (search for Sītā and keeping promises) can proceed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s moral courage (dharma-bala): the willingness to speak corrective truth to a revered elder for the sake of righteous action.