Shloka 2.99.20

चित्रकूटप्राप्तिः — Bharata Reaches Chitrakuta and Beholds Rama

Devanagari script

एवं संविलपं स्तस्मिन्वने दशरथात्मजः।ददर्श महातीं पुण्यां पर्णशालां मनोरमाम्।।2.99.18।।सालतालाश्वकर्णानां पर्णैर्बहुभिरावृताम्।विशालां मृदुभिस्तीर्णां कुशैर्वेदिमिवाध्वरे।।2.99.19।।शक्रायुधनिकाशैश्च कार्मुकैर्भारसाधनैः।रुक्मपृष्ठैर्महासारै श्शोभितां शत्रुबाधकैः।।2.99.20।।अर्क रश्मि प्रतीकाशैर्घोरैस्तूणीगतैश्शरैः।शोभितां दीप्तवदनै स्सर्पैर्भोगवतीमिव।।2.99.21।।महारजतवासोभ्यामसिभ्यां च विराजिताम्।रुक्मबिन्दुविचित्राभ्यां चर्मभ्यां चापि शोभिताम्।।2.99.22।।गोधाङ्गुळित्रैरासक्तैश्चित्रैः काञ्चनभूषितैः।अरिसंघैरनाधृष्यां मृगै स्सिंहगुहा मिव।।2.99.23।।

Transliteration

śakrāyudhanikāśaiś ca kārmukair bhārasādhanaiḥ |

rukmapṛṣṭhair mahāsāraiḥ śobhitāṃ śatrubādhakaiḥ ||2.99.20||

Translation

And that leaf-hut was adorned with bows, in appearance like Indra’s thunderbolt—mighty and sure in their draw, gold-backed, of great strength, and fit to subdue enemies.

Context

Lamenting in this way Bharata beheld in that forest an excellent, sacred and enchanting hut covered with a lot of leaves of sala, palmyra and aswakarna trees like a sacrificial altar spread with soft kusa grass. Goldplated bows that resembled the thunderbolt of Indra, powerful and capable of achieving great targets and oppressing the enemies, adorned the hut. Arrows glittering like the rays of the Sun, were dreadful, with blazing heads and stored in quivers adorned it like the hooded serpents illumining the city of Bhogavati (in the nether world). A pair of swords in scabbards made of excellent silver, two shields of different colours with golden spots, fingerguards made of skin of iguana decorated with gold were hanging there. It was impregnable to enemy hordes like the cave of a lion to the deer.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Daśaratha
• Śakra (Indra)
• kārmuka (bows)

FAQs

How does this verse connect to dharma in the Ayodhyākāṇḍa narrative?

The bows symbolize disciplined power held in restraint—strength maintained not for aggression but to protect righteousness while Bharata seeks the truth about Rāma’s exile and acts according to dharma.

What aspect of satya (truth) is implied by the description of the hut’s weaponry?

The brilliance and readiness of the weapons underscore moral clarity and preparedness: truth is not merely spoken but safeguarded, requiring steadfast resolve to uphold what is right.