Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 19

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

असौ हि सुमहास्कन्धो विटपी च महाद्रुमः।विराजते महासैन्ये कोविदारध्वजो रथे।।2.96.19।।

Transliteration

asau hi sumahāskandho viṭapī ca mahādrumaḥ |

virājate mahāsainye kovidāradhvajo rathe ||2.96.19||

Translation

“Yes—there is that great tree with a mighty trunk and spreading branches; in the midst of the great host, the Kovidāra-tree standard shines upon the chariot.”

Word by Word

• asau: that (one)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (अदस् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; causal/emphatic particle (निपात)

• sumahā-skandhaḥ: having a very large trunk
• sumahā-skandhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-mahā (सु+महा) + skandha (स्कन्ध) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘very-great-trunked’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective of viṭapī/mahādrumaḥ

• viṭapī: tree
• viṭapī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṭapin (विटपिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• mahā-drumaḥ: a great tree
• mahā-drumaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा) + druma (द्रुम) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘great tree’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; in apposition to viṭapī

• virājate: shines
• virājate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-rāj (वि+राज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular

• mahā-sainye: in the great army
• mahā-sainye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा) + sainya (सैन्य) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘great army’; Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• kovidāra-dhvajaḥ: the Kovidara-bannered (one)
• kovidāra-dhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kovidāra (कोविदार) + dhvaja (ध्वज) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘kovidārasya dhvajaḥ’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• rathe: on the chariot
• rathe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (रथ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

Context

Offering Sita several kinds of preparations to eat, righteous Rama, seated in her company remarked, This meat is savoury, this meat roasted on fire is sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Chariot (ratha)
• Banner/standard (dhvaja)

FAQs

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

Dharma favors decisions grounded in verifiable signs; identifying an approaching party correctly helps prevent wrongful violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reiterates the identifying mark—the Kovidāra banner—visible within the massed troops.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Careful confirmation—rechecking the mark to strengthen his claim.