Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

उपाघ्रायचतंमूद् र्नेनंपप्रच्छप्रीतमानसः ।।6.46.48।।पृच्छतेचयथावृत्तंपित्रेतस्मैसर्वंन्यवेदयत् ।यथातौशरबन्धेननिश्चेष्टौनिष्प्रभौकृतौ ।।6.46.49।।

Transliteration

upāghrāya ca taṁ mūrdhnā enaṁ papraccha prītamānasaḥ ||6.46.48||

Translation

ด้วยจิตใจเปี่ยมปีติ เขาจุมพิตที่ศีรษะของบุตร แล้วซักถามต่อไป

Word by Word

• उपाघ्राय: having kissed/smelled
• उपाघ्राय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), 'having smelled/kissed'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

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

• मूर्ध्ना: with (his) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• एनम्: this one/him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• प्रीतमानसः: with delighted mind
• प्रीतमानसः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत + मानस (प्रातिपदिक); components: प्रीत (ppp of √प्री) + मानस
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-विशेषणम्

• पृच्छते: asks/enquires
• पृच्छते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; 'while he asks' (narrative present)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• यथावृत्तम्: the whole account as it happened
• यथावृत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथा + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक); components: यथा (indecl.) + वृत्त (ppp of √वृत्)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'as it happened'

• पित्रे: to (his) father
• पित्रे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'everything'

• न्यवेदयत्: informed/reported
• न्यवेदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√विद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; causative/denominative sense 'reported/informed'

• यथा: how/that
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction) 'how/that'

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

• शरबन्धेन: by the net of arrows
• शरबन्धेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक); components: शर + बन्ध
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'bond/net of arrows'); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• निश्चेष्टौ: motionless
• निश्चेष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + चेष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• निष्प्रभौ: lusterless
• निष्प्रभौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कृतौ: made (to be)
• कृतौ: Kriya (क्रिया/result)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'made/turned into' (state-result)

Context

Delighted Ravana kissed his son on the forehead and enquired of him of the details. Indrajith presented details saying that both Rama and Lakshmana were stunned in the network of arrows, and lost splendour.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Indrajit (implied)

FAQs

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

Affection and inquiry are neutral powers; Dharma requires that parental love be guided by truth and right judgment, not by approval of wrongful deeds.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa receives Indrajit after the latter’s strike in battle and, in pleased excitement, seeks confirmation and details of what occurred.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A familial tenderness is shown, but it is framed within adharma—demonstrating how even affection can become complicit when aligned with unjust aims.