Shloka 1

कबन्धवधः

The Severing of Kabandha’s Arms and the Opening of Dialogue

Devanagari script

तौ तु तत्र स्थितौ दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।बाहुपाशपरिक्षिप्तौ कबन्धो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

tau tu tatra sthitau dṛṣṭvā bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau | bāhupāśaparikṣiptau kabandho vākyam abravīt || 3.70.1 ||

Translation

ครั้นเห็นสองพี่น้อง พระรามและพระลักษมณะ ยืนอยู่ ณ ที่นั้น ถูกบ่วงแห่งวงแขนของตนรัดไว้ กบันธะจึงกล่าวถ้อยคำดังนี้

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-marker (अन्वय-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्थितौ: standing
• स्थितौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘stood’, प्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-hetu (क्रिया-हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerund)

• भ्रातरौ: the two brothers
• भ्रातरौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तौ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास, द्वितीया, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; भ्रातरौ इत्यस्य विशेषण/निर्देश

• बाहुपाशपरिक्षिप्तौ: encircled by the noose of (his) arms
• बाहुपाशपरिक्षिप्तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहु + पाश + परि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (bāhu-pāśa ‘arm-noose’) + क्त (PPP) परिक्षिप्त, प्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कबन्धः: Kabandha
• कबन्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Kabandha saw the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, stand there bound by the shackles of his arms and said:

Characters & Entities

• Kabandha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here frames the trial of the righteous: adversity arises even for the virtuous, and the narrative prepares for right action under constraint.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha has physically seized Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and begins speaking to them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage under sudden danger—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are depicted as steadfast even when bound.