Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 5

शरबन्धनविलापः

The Lament under the Net of Arrows

Devanagari script

किंनुमेसीतयाकार्यंकिंकार्यंजीवितेनवा ।शयानंयोऽद्यपश्यामिभ्रातरंयुधिनिर्जितम् ।।6.49.5।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu me sītayā kāryaṃ kiṃ kāryaṃ jīvitena vā | śayānaṃ yo 'dya paśyāmi bhrātaraṃ yudhi nirjitam ||6.49.5||

Translation

Ano ang silbi ni Sita sa akin—ano pa ang silbi ng buhay—kung ngayon ay nakikita ko ang aking kapatid na nakahandusay at talunan sa larangan ng digmaan?

Word by Word

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• nu: indeed, then
• nu: Prashna-dyotaka (प्रश्नद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• me: for me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; मम (genitive)

• sītayā: with Sita
• sītayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन/सह (instrumental: with/through Sita)

• kāryam: use, purpose
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘use/need’ अर्थे

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• kāryam: use, purpose
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jīvitena: with life
• jīvitena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (instrumental: with life)

• vā: or, even
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or/even)

• śayānam: lying
• śayānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śī (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भ्रातरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• yaḥ: who/whom (relative)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• adya: today, now
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• paśyāmi: I see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhrātaram: brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yudhi: in battle
• yudhi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in battle)

• nirjitam: defeated, overcome
• nirjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-ji (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘भ्रातरम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘defeated/overcome’

Context

In the meantime, Rama, although bound, being a man of fortitude established in spiritual discipline, returned to consciousness.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as gratitude and obligation: Rāma’s mission (including Sītā’s recovery) is morally inseparable from the life and sacrifice of his dharmic companion, Lakṣmaṇa.

What is the narrative situation?

Believing Lakṣmaṇa to be fallen/defeated in battle, Rāma speaks in despair, questioning the value of victory or even life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to relationships and moral accounting: Rāma measures success not by goals achieved but by whether those bound to him by dharma are preserved.