Shloka 2.99.23

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

godhāṅguḷitrair āsaktaiś citraiḥ kāñcana-bhūṣitaiḥ |

ari-saṅghair anādhṛṣyāṃ mṛgaiḥ siṃha-guhām iva || 2.99.23 ||

Translation

With finger-guards of iguana-skin, hung up in varied forms and adorned with gold, it seemed unassailable to enemy hosts—like a lion’s cave that deer dare not approach.

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
• Rama
• enemy hosts (ari-saṅgha)
• lion cave (siṃha-guhā)
• finger-guards (aṅguḷitra)

FAQs

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

Dharma is protective strength that deters wrongdoing: righteousness is safeguarded not only by purity but also by the credible capacity to resist injustice.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata sees the hut’s defensive readiness and understands that Rama’s forest residence is secure against threats, despite its ascetic setting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s protective authority—calm, restrained, yet formidable—mirrored in the lion-cave simile.