Shloka 5

शरबन्धनविलापः

The Lament under the Net of Arrows

Devanagari script

किंनुमेसीतयाकार्यंकिंकार्यंजीवितेनवा ।शयानंयोऽद्यपश्यामिभ्रातरंयुधिनिर्जितम् ।।6.49.5।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu me sītayā kāryaṃ kiṃ kāryaṃ jīvitena vā | śayānaṃ yo 'dya paśyāmi bhrātaraṃ yudhi nirjitam ||6.49.5||

Translation

今日、弟が戦場で敗れ横たわっているのを見て、シーターが私にとって何の役に立つというのか。命さえも何の役に立つというのか。

Word by Word

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• nu: indeed, then
• nu: Prashna-dyotaka (प्रश्नद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• me: for me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; मम (genitive)

• sītayā: with Sita
• sītayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/सह (instrumental: with/through Sita)

• kāryam: use, purpose
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘use/need’ अर्थे

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• kāryam: use, purpose
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jīvitena: with life
• jīvitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (instrumental: with life)

• vā: or, even
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or/even)

• śayānam: lying
• śayānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śī (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भ्रातरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• yaḥ: who/whom (relative)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• adya: today, now
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• paśyāmi: I see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhrātaram: brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yudhi: in battle
• yudhi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in battle)

• nirjitam: defeated, overcome
• nirjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ji (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भ्रातरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘defeated/overcome’

Context

In the meantime, Rama, although bound, being a man of fortitude established in spiritual discipline, returned to consciousness.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

Believing Lakṣmaṇa to be fallen/defeated in battle, Rāma speaks in despair, questioning the value of victory or even life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to relationships and moral accounting: Rāma measures success not by goals achieved but by whether those bound to him by dharma are preserved.