Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 4

शरबन्धनम् (The Binding by Arrows) / Indrajit’s Illusory Assault and the Vanaras’ Consolation

Devanagari script

अचेष्टौमन्दनिश्श्वासौशोणितौघपरिप्लुतौ ।शरजालाचितौस्तब्दौशयानौशरतल्पयोः ।।6.46.4।।निःश्वसन्तौयथासर्पौनिश्चेष्टौमन्दविक्रमौ ।रुधिरस्राद्विग्धाङ्गौतापनीयाविवध्वजौ ।।6.46.5।।तौवीरशयनेवीरौशयानौमन्दचेष्टितौ ।यूथपैस्तै: परिवृतौबाष्पव्याकुललोचनैः ।।6.46.6।।राघवौपतितौदृष्टवाशरजालसमावृतौ ।बभूवुर्वेर्व्यथितास्सर्वेवानरास्सविभीषणाः ।।6.46.7।।

Transliteration

aceṣṭau manda-niśśvāsau śoṇitaugha-pariplutau |

śara-jālā-citau stabdhau śayānau śara-talpayoḥ ||6.46.4||

niḥśvasantau yathā sarpau niśceṣṭau manda-vikramau |

rudhira-srād-dhigdhāṅgau tāpanīyāv iva dhvajau ||6.46.5||

tau vīra-śayane vīrau śayānau manda-ceṣṭitau |

yūthapais taiḥ parivṛtau bāṣpa-vyākula-locanaiḥ ||6.46.6||

rāghavau patitau dṛṣṭvā śara-jāla-samāvṛtau |

babhūvur ver-vyathitāḥ sarve vānarāḥ sa-vibhīṣaṇāḥ ||6.46.7||

Translation

ഇരുവരും അനങ്ങാതെ, മന്ദശ്വാസത്തോടെ, രക്തധാരകളാൽ നനഞ്ഞ്, അമ്പുകളുടെ ജാലം ശരീരത്തിൽ കുത്തിനിറഞ്ഞ്, സ്തംഭിച്ചവണ്ണം അമ്പുകളുടെ ശയ്യയിൽ കിടന്നു। സർപ്പങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ മന്ദമായി ശ്വസിച്ച്, നിർചേഷ്ടരും ക്ഷീണവീര്യരുമായി, രക്തം പുരണ്ട അവയവങ്ങളോടെ അവർ വീണുകിടക്കുന്ന രണ്ടു സ്വർണ്ണധ്വജങ്ങൾപോലെ തോന്നി। ആ രണ്ടു വീരന്മാർ വീരശയനത്തിൽ അല്പചലനത്തോടെ കിടന്നു; ചുറ്റും യൂഥപതികൾ കണ്ണുനീരാൽ വ്യാകുലമായ കണ്ണുകളോടെ അവരെ വളഞ്ഞുനിന്നു। അമ്പുകളുടെ ജാലം മൂടിയ നിലയിൽ വീണുകിടക്കുന്ന ആ രണ്ടു രാഘവന്മാരെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, വിഭീഷണനുൾപ്പെടെ എല്ലാ വാനരരും വ്യഥയും ഭയവും കൊണ്ട് വിറച്ചു.

Word by Word

• aceṣṭau: motionless
• aceṣṭau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + ceṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• manda-niḥśvāsau: with feeble breathing
• manda-niḥśvāsau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक) + niḥśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: मन्दः निःश्वासः यस्य; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śoṇita-ogha-pariplutau: flooded with a torrent of blood
• śoṇita-ogha-pariplutau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक) + pari-pluta (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: शोणितौघेन परिप्लुतौ (flooded/covered by a stream of blood); पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śara-jāla-ācitau: covered with a mesh of arrows
• śara-jāla-ācitau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ācita (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: शरजालेन आचितौ (heaped/covered with a net of arrows); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• stabdhau: stiff, unmoving
• stabdhau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stabdha (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘stunned/rigid’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śayānau: lying
• śayānau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śī (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present middle participle) ‘lying’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śara-talpayoḥ: on the bed of arrows
• śara-talpayoḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + talpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: शराणां तल्पः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), सप्तमी/षष्ठी-द्विवचनरूप (Locative/Genitive Dual) — अत्र अधिकरणे ‘on the bed of arrows’ अर्थे

Context

Unable to move, with feeble breath, drenched in blood and the body covered all over with arrows, lying on a bed of arrows, stunned, with reduced prowess, sighing like serpents, the heroes, Rama, and Lakshmana, who were like golden posts became dull. Rama and Lakshmana were lying on a heroic bed, arrows stuck to the bodies. Vibheeshana and all the Vanaras kept seeing both the scions and wept surrounding them.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Vānara-sainya
• Yūthapa (Vānara troop-leaders)
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse sets the ethical stakes of war: even righteous campaigns entail suffering; dharma requires compassion, steadiness, and continued responsibility amid grief.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are seen lying stricken on the battlefield, pierced by many arrows; the Vānara host and their allies are overwhelmed with fear and sorrow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective loyalty and compassion—leaders and soldiers remain gathered around their fallen protectors rather than abandoning them.