Shloka 2
चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्
Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army
इदं मेध्यमिदं स्वादु निष्टप्तमिदमग्निना।एवमास्ते स धर्मात्मा सीतया सह राघवः।।2.96.2।।
idaṃ medhyam idaṃ svādu niṣṭaptam idam agninā |
evam āste sa dharmātmā sītayā saha rāghavaḥ ||2.96.2||
Dort saß der rechtschaffene Rāghava bei Sītā und sprach, Speise darreichend: „Dies ist rituell rein; dies ist köstlich; dies ist vom Feuer geröstet.“
Turning his face to the north, he beheld a vast army consisting of chariots, elephants and horses and a well-equipped infantry.
FAQs
Dharma here appears as mindful, disciplined living—maintaining purity and propriety (medhya) even in exile, showing that righteousness includes everyday conduct, not only heroic acts.
Rāma and Sītā are seated together in the forest, taking food; the narration highlights their simple, regulated life just before the tension of an approaching army becomes apparent in later verses.
Rāma’s dharmic steadiness—calm orderliness and care for what is proper and pure, even under hardship.