Shloka 9

शरबन्धनविलापः

The Lament under the Net of Arrows

Devanagari script

विवत्सांवेपमानांचक्रोशन्तींकुररीमिव ।कथमाश्वासयिष्यामियदियास्यामितंविना ।।6.49.9।।

Transliteration

vivatsāṃ vepamānāṃ ca krośantīṃ kurarīm iva | katham āśvāsayiṣyāmi yadi yāsyāmi taṃ vinā ||6.49.9||

Translation

ഞാൻ അവനില്ലാതെ പോയാൽ, പുത്രവിയോഗത്തിൽ വിറച്ച്, കുരരി പക്ഷിയെപ്പോലെ കരുണമായി നിലവിളിക്കുന്ന അവളെ ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെ ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കും?

Word by Word

• vivatsām: bereft of her child
• vivatsām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अम्बाम्/कौसल्याम्’ इत्यादेः (implicit) विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘bereft of her calf/child’

• vepamānām: trembling
• vepamānām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vep (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• krośantīm: crying out
• krośantīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruś (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• kurarīm: a female osprey
• kurarīm: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kurarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (female osprey)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (like)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• āśvāsayiṣyāmi: shall I console
• āśvāsayiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śvas (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √śvas (to breathe) → āśvāsayati (to console)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतुद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक-अव्यय (if)

• yāsyāmi: I shall go
• yāsyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vinā: without
• vinā: Apādāna (अपादान/वियोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक-अव्यय/उपपद (without); उपपदेन सह द्वितीया (tam)

Context

"If I go to Ayodhya without him, how can I console Sumithra crying aloud like a female osprey?"

Characters & Entities

• Sumitrā
• Lakṣmaṇa (implied by 'tam vinā'—without him)

FAQs

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

Dharma as compassion and care for the suffering: the verse foregrounds the obligation to comfort the grieving and the fear of failing that duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma anticipates Sumitrā’s unbearable sorrow if Lakṣmaṇa does not return, and he doubts his ability to console her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy: the speaker vividly imagines another’s pain, indicating a dharmic heart that does not treat victory as meaningful if loved ones are lost.