Shloka 14

Devanagari script

शुभेवर्त्मनितिष्ठन्तंत्वामार्यविजितेन्द्रियम् ।अनर्थेभ्यो न शक्नोतित्रातुंधर्मोनिरर्थकः ।।6.83.14।।

Transliteration

śubhe vartmani tiṣṭhantaṃ tvām ārya vijitendriyam | anarthebhyo na śaknoti trātuṃ dharmo nirarthakaḥ ||

Translation

ഹേ ആര്യനേ! ശുഭമാർഗത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരനായി ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെ ജയിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന നിന്നെ ധർമ്മം അനർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് രക്ഷിക്കാനാകുന്നില്ലെങ്കിൽ, ആ ധർമ്മം തന്നെ നിർർത്ഥകമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

शुभेon the auspicious

वर्त्मनिpath

तिष्ठन्तम्standing; abiding

त्वाम्you

आर्यविजितेन्द्रियम्noble, with senses conquered

अनर्थेभ्यःfrom misfortunes

नnot

शक्नोतिis able

त्रातुम्to protect

धर्मःdharma; righteousness

निरर्थकःuseless

Context

"O Noble Rama! If You, who have gained over senses and sticking to a virtuous path are not protected, from this calamity by righteousness, then righteousness is useless."

Characters & Entities

Lakṣmaṇa

Rāma

Dharma

FAQs

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

Lakṣmaṇa frames a moral challenge: Dharma must be efficacious in protecting the righteous; the verse dramatizes a crisis that ultimately pushes Rāma back toward purposeful action grounded in dharma and satya.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma collapses in grief, Lakṣmaṇa argues forcefully to restore his brother’s resolve by questioning the value of dharma if it fails to safeguard the virtuous.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage in counsel—Lakṣmaṇa speaks boldly and logically, prioritizing Rāma’s return to duty over polite restraint.