Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 20

शरबन्धनविलापः

The Lament under the Net of Arrows

Devanagari script

विससर्जैकवेगेनपञ्चबाणशतानियः ।इष्वस्त्रष्वधिकस्तस्मात्कार्तवीर्याच्चलक्ष्मणः ।।6.49.20।।

Transliteration

visasarjaikavegena pañca bāṇaśatāni yaḥ |

iṣvastreṣv adhikas tasmāt kārtavīryāc ca lakṣmaṇaḥ ||6.49.20||

Translation

Siya na sa iisang bugso’y nagpakawala ng limandaang palaso—kaya si Lakṣmaṇa’y higit sa sining ng pana, maging kay Kārtavīrya.

Word by Word

• visasarja: released, discharged
• visasarja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• ekavegena: with a single impetus/at one speed
• ekavegena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; समासः—एकः वेगः यस्य/एकेन वेगेन (in one rush/impulse)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन (numeral used in compound)

• bāṇaśatāni: hundreds of arrows
• bāṇaśatāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचनम्; समासः—बाणानां शतानि (hundreds of arrows)

• yaḥ: he who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धबोधकः (relative pronoun)

• iṣvastraṣu: in (the use of) arrows and weapons
• iṣvastraṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣu (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्वः—इषवः च अस्त्राणि च (in arrows and weapons / in missile-weapons)

• adhikaḥ: superior
• adhikaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्; तुलनार्थकः (comparative sense: superior)

• tasmāt: therefore; from that (reason)
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थे/तस्मादर्थे (therefore/from that)

• kārtavīryāt: than Kārtavīrya / from Kārtavīrya
• kārtavīryāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtavīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्

Context

"He, who could destroy Indra's arrows also deserves to be on Indra's bed, is lying on the ground, killed."

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Kartavirya

FAQs

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

Dharma includes honoring merit truthfully: excellence and disciplined skill used in righteous service should be acknowledged without envy.

What is the narrative situation?

Amid the crisis of Lakṣmaṇa lying struck down, allies recall and proclaim his extraordinary prowess in archery.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial excellence yoked to righteous purpose—skill (kauśala) in service of dharma.