Valmiki Ramayana 2.86.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 86, Shloka 8

लक्ष्मणगुणवर्णनम्

Lakshmana’s Vigil and Guha’s Testimony

Devanagari script

न हि मेऽविदितं किञ्चिद्वनेऽस्मिंश्चरत स्सदा।चतुरङ्गं ह्यपि बलं प्रसहेम वयं युधि।।।।

Transliteration

na hi me 'viditaṃ kiñcid vane 'smiṃś carato sadā | caturaṅgaṃ hy api balaṃ prasahema vayaṃ yudhi ||

Translation

Nichts in diesem Wald ist mir unbekannt, denn ich streife hier unablässig umher; und im Kampf könnten wir selbst einem viergliedrigen Heer standhalten.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-भाव (indeed/for)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th case) एकवचन (dative: to me) / षष्ठी (6th case) एकवचन (genitive: of me); अत्र अर्थतः चतुर्थी (to me)

• अविदितम्: unknown
• अविदितम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; न-प्रत्ययेन निषेध (unknown)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of 'is unknown')
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (anything)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (locative)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• चरतः: of (him) roaming
• चरतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; विशेषण (of one who roams)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• चतुरङ्गम्: fourfold (army)
• चतुरङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चत्वारि अङ्गानि यस्य = four-limbed/fourfold) विशेषण (qualifying बलम्)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• बलम्: army/force
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• प्रसहेम: we could withstand
• प्रसहेम: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (locative)

Context

Nothing is unknown to me in this forest in which I range about continually. We can withstand an army of four divisions in a battle.

Characters & Entities

• Guha
• Bharata
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Competence in one’s responsibility is part of dharma—Guha grounds his promise of protection in real knowledge of terrain and capacity.

What is the narrative situation?

Guha strengthens his reassurance by stating his mastery of the forest and his people’s ability to resist organized military threat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and capability: practical leadership that supports righteous persons through preparedness.