Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 28

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

अद्येमं संयतं क्रोधमसत्कारं च मानद।मोक्ष्यामि शत्रुसैन्येषु कक्षेष्विव हुताशनम्।।2.96.28।।

Transliteration

adyemaṃ saṃyataṃ krodham asatkāraṃ ca mānada | mokṣyāmi śatrusainyeṣu kakṣeṣv iva hutāśanam || 2.96.28 ||

Translation

O guardian of honour, today I will unleash this long-restrained anger and the insult I have borne upon the enemy’s forces—like fire released into dry thickets.

Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: कर्म (Karma: object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• संयतम्: restrained/suppressed
• संयतम्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'क्रोधम्' इति विशेषणम् (Masculine Accusative Singular)

• क्रोधम्: anger
• क्रोधम्: कर्म (Karma: object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• असत्कारम्: dishonour/insult
• असत्कारम्: कर्म (Karma: object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• मानद: O giver/protector of honour
• मानद: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana: address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• मोक्ष्यामि: I will release/let loose
• मोक्ष्यामि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + मोक्ष (भविष्यत्-आदेश)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Future, 1st person singular)

• शत्रुसैन्येषु: in the enemy armies
• शत्रुसैन्येषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शत्रूणां सैन्येषु = in the armies of enemies); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (Neuter, Locative, Plural)

• कक्षेषु: in thickets
• कक्षेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Locative, Plural)

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• हुताशनम्: fire
• हुताशनम्: कर्म (Karma: object of mokṣyāmi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत (हु-धातुजन्य क्त) + अशन्/अशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (हुतं अश्नाति/हुतं अशनं यस्य = fire; conventional); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

Context

Today I shall rend the bodies of enemies with my sharpened arrows and spatter the forest of Chitrakuta mountain with their blood.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• enemy army (śatru-sainya)
• fire (hutāśana)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires mastery over krodha: even justified grievance must be governed by truth, proportionality, and the protection of the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Facing the approaching army, Lakṣmaṇa declares he will vent his pent-up anger on the enemy forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and readiness for battle—paired with the cautionary theme that anger can become destructive like wildfire.