Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

ततोद्यांपृथिवींचैववीक्षमाणावनौकसः ।ददृशुःसन्ततौबाणैर्भ्रातरौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।।6.46.1।।

Transliteration

tato dyāṃ pṛthivīṃ caiva vīkṣamāṇā vanaukasaḥ |

dadṛśuḥ santatau bāṇair bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||6.46.1||

Translation

Bấy giờ các thủ lĩnh Vānara đưa mắt nhìn khắp trời cao và mặt đất, liền thấy hai anh em Rāma và Lakṣmaṇa bị mũi tên xuyên khắp thân mình.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• dyām: the sky
• dyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• pṛthivīm: the earth
• pṛthivīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis (अवधारण)

• vīkṣamāṇāḥ: looking/observing
• vīkṣamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vīkṣ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vanaukasaḥ: the forest-dwellers (Vanaras)
• vanaukasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + okas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): वनस्य ओकसः (those whose dwelling is in the forest); पुल्लिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• dadṛśuḥ: saw
• dadṛśuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• santatau: stretched out/extended (lying)
• santatau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual); विशेषण (adjective) of भ्रातरौ

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhrātarau: the two brothers
• bhrātarau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), द्विवचन (Dual)

• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Rama and Lakshmana
• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च; पुल्लिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual); भ्रातरौ इति विशेष्यस्य नाम

Context

Thereafter looking at the sky and the ground for Rama and Lakshmana, the Vanara leaders saw the two brothers, lying on the ground hurt by arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara leaders
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• sky
• earth
• arrows

FAQs

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

Dharma as vigilant care: the allies actively search and confirm the truth of the situation, refusing denial, and preparing for right response.

What is the narrative situation?

At the opening of the next chapter, the Vānara chiefs look everywhere and finally behold Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa lying wounded by arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentiveness and responsibility—seeking the leaders and confronting reality (satya) even when it is painful.