Valmiki Ramayana 2.84.13 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 84, Shloka 13

गुहस्य सन्देहः, गङ्गातीर-रक्षा, भरतस्य सत्कारः

Guha’s Suspicion, Securing the Ganga Bank, and Hospitality to Bharata

Devanagari script

तस्मात्पश्यतु काकुत्स्थ त्वां निषादाधिपो गुहः।असंशयं विजानीते यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।।।।

Transliteration

tasmāt paśyatu kākutstha tvāṃ niṣādādhipo guhaḥ |

asaṃśayaṃ vijānīte yatra tau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||

Translation

অতএব, হে কাকুৎস্থবংশধর, নিষাদাধিপতি গুহ তোমার সঙ্গে সাক্ষাৎ করুক; নিঃসন্দেহে সে জানে রাম ও লক্ষ্মণ কোথায় আছেন।

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (तस्मात् = therefore/from that), pañcamī-arthī avyaya-prayoga

• paśyatu: let (him) see
• paśyatu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• kākutstha: O Kakutstha
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• niṣādādhipaḥ: lord of the Niṣādas
• niṣādādhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣāda (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (niṣādānām adhipaḥ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• guhaḥ: Guha
• guhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• asaṃśayam: undoubtedly
• asaṃśayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial accusative/क्रियाविशेषण), meaning ‘without doubt’

• vijānīte: knows/recognizes
• vijānīte: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (relative adverb/यत्र)

• tau: those two
• tau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Dvivacana (dual/द्विवचन)

• rāmalakṣmaṇau: Rama and Lakshmana
• rāmalakṣmaṇau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Itaretara-dvandva (Rama and Lakshmana), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

Context

O scion of the Kakusthas (Bharata) therefore, give audience to the overlord of the nishadas, Guha, who undoubtedly knows the whereabouts of Rama and Lakshmana.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata (Kākutstha)
• Guha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Niṣādas

FAQs

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

Seeking truthful guidance: dharmic action is supported by consulting those who truly know the situation, rather than acting on conjecture.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra urges Bharata to meet Guha, who can reliably indicate Rama and Lakshmana’s whereabouts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trust in competent witnesses—valuing grounded knowledge as a basis for right action.