Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.15: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 15

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

तं रामः पुरुषव्याघ्रो लक्ष्मणं प्रत्युवाच ह।अङ्गावेक्षस्व सौमित्रे कस्येमां मन्यसे चमूम्।।2.96.15।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.96.15

Transliteration

taṃ rāmaḥ puruṣavyāghro lakṣmaṇaṃ pratyuvāca ha |

aṅgāvekṣasva saumitre kasyemāṃ manyase camūm ||2.96.15||

Translation

Rāma, ein Tiger unter den Menschen, erwiderte Lakṣmaṇa: „Sieh genau hin, Saumitra, und sage mir: Wessen Heer meinst du, ist dies?“

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; refers to Lakshmana

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: best of men
• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषणवत्; ‘tiger among men’

• लक्ष्मणम्: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of pratyuvāca

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उप-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘replied’

• ह: indeed/so
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/quotative)

• अङ्ग: O!
• अङ्ग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अङ्ग (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• अवेक्षस्व: look
• अवेक्षस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘look/examine’

• सौमित्रे: O Saumitri
• सौमित्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन

• कस्य: of whom
• कस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-एकवचन; genitive interrogative ‘of whom’

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; demonstrative modifying चमूम्

• मन्यसे: do you think
• मन्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘you think/consider’

• चमूम्: army
• चमूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of manyase

Context

Hearing the words of Rama, enraged Lakshmana, like a flaming fire as if he would reduce the army to ashes, replied:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Army (camū)

FAQs

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

Dharma-guided leadership seeks truth before action: Rāma insists on verification and discernment rather than reacting from fear.

What is the narrative situation?

After Lakṣmaṇa’s warning, Rāma asks him to identify the approaching force by careful observation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s composure and commitment to informed judgment.