Shloka 5

पञ्चवटी-निवासः

Settlement at Pañcavaṭī and Construction of the Hermitage

Devanagari script

रमते यत्र वैदेही त्वमहं चैव लक्ष्मण।तादृशो दृश्यतां देशस्सन्निकृष्टजलाशयः।।3.15.4।।वनरामण्यकं यत्र स्थलरामण्यकं तथा।सन्निकृष्टं च यत्र स्यात्समित्पुष्पकुशोदकम्।।3.15.5।।

Transliteration

ramate yatra vaidehī tvam ahaṃ caiva lakṣmaṇa |

tādṛśo dṛśyatāṃ deśaḥ sannikṛṣṭa-jalāśayaḥ || 3.15.4 ||

vanarāmaṇyakaṃ yatra sthalarāmaṇyakaṃ tathā |

sannikṛṣṭaṃ ca yatra syāt samit-puṣpa-kuśodakam || 3.15.5 ||

Translation

Oh Lakṣmaṇa, halla un lugar así, que deleite a Vaidehī y también a ti y a mí, cerca de un manantial; donde el bosque y la tierra sean ambos encantadores, y donde estén a mano la leña para lo sagrado, las flores, la hierba kuśa y el agua.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: N/A (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्तः: having been spoken to/instructed
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; लक्ष्मणः (implied)

• तु: then, however
• तु: N/A (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); विरोध/अनुवाद (but/and then)

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संयत-अञ्जलिः: with folded palms
• संयत-अञ्जलिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् लक्ष्मणः; समासः: संयतौ अञ्जली यस्य (with folded hands)

• सीता-समक्षम्: in Sita's presence
• सीता-समक्षम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक) + samakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अर्थः: सीतायाः समक्षम् (in Sita's presence)

• काकुत्स्थम्: Kakutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषनाम (Rāma)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Righteous Rama, served by Lakshmana, and Sita lived there for some time like a god in heaven.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē pañcadaśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fifteenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• puṣpa
• kuśa
• udaka

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as disciplined living aligned with sacred duty: choosing a residence that supports daily rites and protects the wellbeing of the family unit in exile.

What is the narrative situation?

This verse reiterates the criteria Rāma gives Lakṣmaṇa for selecting a hermitage site in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s balanced judgment—uniting spiritual needs (samit, kuśa) with practical necessities (water) and emotional wellbeing (Sītā’s delight).