Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 9

चित्रकूटगमनम् तथा पर्णशालाप्रवेशः

Arrival at Chitrakuta and Establishing the Leaf-Hut

Devanagari script

एष क्रोशति नत्यूहस्तं शिखी प्रतिकूजति।रमणीये वनोद्देशे पुष्पसंस्तरसङ्कटे।।।।

Transliteration

eṣa krośati natyūhas taṃ śikhī pratikūjati | ramaṇīye vanoddeśe puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe ||

Translation

Here the natyūha bird cries out, and the peacock answers it in call and countercall, in this lovely forest tract where the ground is thickly strewn with fallen flowers.

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• krośati: cries, screams
• krośati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kruś (क्रुश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• natyūhaḥ: the natyūha bird
• natyūhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: natyūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tam: that (one/it)
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; pronoun referring to the bird (or its call)

• śikhī: the peacock
• śikhī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratikūjati: calls back, responds with a cry
• pratikūjati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√kūj (कूज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Prathama, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with prefix prati

• ramaṇīye: delightful
• ramaṇīye: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramaṇīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying vanoddeśe

• vana-uddeśe: in the forest region
• vana-uddeśe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + uddeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘region of the forest’

• puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe: where the ground is thickly strewn with flowers
• puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa + saṃstara + saṅkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; multi-member tatpuruṣa: puṣpāṇāṃ saṃstaraḥ (flower-strewn carpet) tena saṅkaṭaḥ (covered/filled)

Context

In this delightful forest region strewn with fallen flowers the peacock is responding to the screaming of natyuha bird.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Inner composure aligned with dharma: even amid exile, Rāma’s mind remains steady and appreciative rather than bitter, reflecting disciplined sattva and self-control.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma describes the sounds and beauty of the forest—birdcalls, peacocks, and flower-strewn ground—framing the wilderness as a livable, even sacred, space.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sahṛdayatā (refined sensitivity) joined to fortitude: Rāma perceives harmony in nature while maintaining resolve in adversity.