Valmiki Ramayana 2.98.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98, Shloka 4

चित्रकूटप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters the Forest Toward Chitrakuta

Devanagari script

गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा।समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थमस्मिन् परिवृतस्स्वयम्।।2.98.4।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.98.4

Transliteration

guho jñātisahasreṇa śaracāpāsidhāriṇā |

samanveṣatu kākutstham asmin parivṛtaḥ svayam ||2.98.4||

Translation

Möge Guha selbst, umringt von tausend Verwandten mit Pfeilen, Bögen und Schwertern, in eben diesem Wald nach Rama, dem Spross der Kakutsthas, suchen.

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Word by Word

• guhaḥ: Guha
• guhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jñāti-sahasreṇa: with a thousand kinsmen
• jñāti-sahasreṇa: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (jñātīnām sahasram) = 'a thousand of kinsmen'

• śara-cāpa-asi-dhāriṇā: armed with arrows, bow and sword
• śara-cāpa-asi-dhāriṇā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषसमासः: śara-cāpa-asi (weapons) + dhārin 'bearing'

• samanveṣatu: let (him) search for
• samanveṣatu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√iṣ (धातु) with sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kākutstham: Rama (Kakutstha)
• kākutstham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• asmin: in this (place/forest)
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• parivṛtaḥ: surrounded
• parivṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'surrounded'

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक-निपात (emphatic/reflexive indeclinable)

Context

Let Guha, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen and armed with bows, arrows and swords look for Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Guha
• Rama (Kākutstha)
• forest
• kinsmen
• bows
• arrows
• swords

FAQs

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

Dharma as collective responsibility: Bharata calls upon allies like Guha to assist in a righteous mission, emphasizing cooperation in service of truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata expands the search operation by delegating Guha and his armed kinsmen to look for Rama in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s prudence and strategic care—he ensures both speed and safety by deploying armed support.