Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

एतेहिफुल्लनयनास्त्रासादागतसाध्वसाः ।।6.46.42।।कर्णेकर्णेप्रकथिताहरयोहरिसत्तम ।

Transliteration

ete hi phulla-nayanās trāsād āgata-sādhvasāḥ | karṇe karṇe prakathitā harayo hari-sattama ||

Translation

Vì bầy khỉ này, mắt mở to vì kinh hãi, bị nỗi sợ chụp lấy, đang thì thầm truyền tai nhau, hỡi bậc tối thắng trong các chúa Vānara.

Word by Word

• एते: these (ones)
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), निश्चय/कारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• फुल्लनयनाः: with wide/dilated eyes
• फुल्लनयनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल + नयन (प्रातिपदिक); components: फुल्ल (ppp as adj) + नयन (noun)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; एते इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्रासात्: from fear
• त्रासात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (cause)

• आगतसाध्वसाः: seized by fear
• आगतसाध्वसाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगत + साध्वस (प्रातिपदिक); components: आगत (ppp of आ-√गम्) + साध्वस (fear)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-सन्निकृष्टः: 'fear having come'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; एते इति विशेषणम्

• कर्णे: in (each) ear
• कर्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-प्रयोगः (कर्णे कर्णे)

• कर्णे: in (each) ear
• कर्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'ear to ear' idiomatically 'to one another privately'

• प्रकथिताः: spoken/whispered
• प्रकथिताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कथ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः: 'having been spoken/whispered'

• हरयः: monkeys
• हरयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हरिसत्तम: O best of monkeys
• हरिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); components: हरि + सत्तम (superlative)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'best among monkeys'); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Context

"O Monkey leader! these monkeys whose eyes have become big (are dilated) with fear are talking ear to ear (about Rama)."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Sugrīva (Hari-sattama)
• Vānara-sainya

FAQs

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

Dharma-oriented leadership recognizes fear in the community and addresses it directly rather than ignoring it.

What is the narrative situation?

The troops, shaken by the sight of their leaders struck down, begin whispering anxiously; Vibhīṣaṇa points this out to Sugrīva as a leadership problem to be handled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Situational awareness—perceiving morale collapse early and preparing corrective action.