Shloka 18

Devanagari script

एतदेव वचश्श्रुत्वा भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।धर्मात्मा सहशत्रुघ्नः कथं शक्ष्यति जीवितुम्।।।।

Transliteration

etad eva vacaḥ śrutvā bharato bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ | dharmātmā saha-śatrughnaḥ kathaṁ śakṣyati jīvitum ||

Translation

ເພີງໄດ້ຍິນຂ່າວນີ້ເທົ່ານັ້ນ ພະພຣະຕະ ຜູ້ຮັກພີ່ນ້ອງດຸຈດວງໃຈ ມີຈິດໃຈເປັນທຳ ແມ່ນຢູ່ກັບພະສັດຣຸຄນະ ຈະດຳລົງຊີວິດຕໍ່ໄດ້ແນວໃດ?

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of 'śrutvā'

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; apposition to 'etat'

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ktvā); 'having heard'

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ: devoted to his brother
• bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: bhrātari vatsalaḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying 'bharataḥ'

• dharmātmā: righteous-souled
• dharmātmā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: yasya ātmā dharmaḥ/ dharmeṇa ātmā; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying 'bharataḥ'

• saha-śatrughnaḥ: with Shatrughna
• saha-śatrughnaḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saha (अव्यय) + śatrughna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva: saha + śatrughna; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'together with Shatrughna'

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb

• śakṣyati: will be able
• śakṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (periphrastic future); Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular; 'will be able'

• jīvitum: to live
• jīvitum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: infinitive (tumun); 'to live'

Context

'When the righteous Ikshvaku race perishes the people would be tormented by grief and remorse. There is no doubt.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Śatrughna

FAQs

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

Dharma is relational: righteousness is sustained through loyalty and love within family. Hanumān recognizes the moral and emotional bonds that make such loss unbearable.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān extends his fear beyond the battlefield—imagining how the tragedy would devastate Bharata and Śatrughna if they learned Sītā had been lost.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s brotherly devotion (bhrātṛ-vātsalya) and dharmic character are highlighted as defining traits.