Valmiki Ramayana 2.116.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 18
तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च
Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas
Spoken by kulapati to RamaSetting: चित्रकूट-पूर्व-तापसाश्रम-परिसरःPlaces named: चित्रकूट, अन्यदेश (unspecified)Proposed departure to another region (अन्यदेश-गमन)
तैर्दुरात्मभिरामृष्टानाश्रमान्प्रजिहासवः ।
गमनायान्यदेशस्य चोदयन्त्यृषयोऽद्य माम् ॥१८॥
tair durātmabhir āmṛṣṭān āśramān prajihāsavaḥ |
gamanāyānyadeśasya codayanty ṛṣayo ’dya mām ||18||
इन बुरी लोगों ने आश्रम को गंदा कर दिया है। अब रिशि लोग यहाँ रहना नहीं चाहते। वो मुझे बोल रहे हैं कि चलो किसी और जगह चलते हैं।
Sandhi Notes
- स्रुग्भाण्डानग्नीस्निञ्चन्ति → sruk-bhāṇḍān agnīn siñcanti
- कलशांश्च → kalaśān ca
Now all these sages are urging me to abandon this hermitage infested by these wicked rakshasas and move to another region.
The teaching
धर्म-स्थापनाय कदाचित् स्थान-परिवर्तनं अपि धर्म्यम्—उद्देश्यः शान्ति व साधना-रक्षा।
Duties in tension
- आश्रम-स्थैर्य (स्थाने तपः/यज्ञ-निरन्तरता)
- जीवन-रक्षा व समुदाय-रक्षा
- क्षात्र-धर्म-आश्रय (राम-शरण) बनाम मुनि-स्वावलम्बन
- Ethical theme
- आत्म-रक्षा/समुदाय-रक्षा (prudential dharma)
- How it resolves
- Pragmatic relocation with protective alliance
For your practice
साधकः विघ्न-स्थलेषु विवेकपूर्वकं 'अन्यदेश'—अर्थात् शुद्ध-सङ्ग/शुद्ध-परिसर—ग्रहणं कुर्यात्।
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)
- Mood
- Defiled, urgent, disheartened
Themes
- Dharma
- Itihasa
- Ethics
- Protection-of-Ascetics
- Exile-and-Refuge
External स्थान-त्याग mirrors inner vairāgya—leaving a 'defiled' mental field for a purer sāttvika ground.
वैराग्य/प्रव्रज्या-भाव (renunciation motif) without explicit citation; movement toward śānti as higher good.
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.22 (विश्वामित्रः रामं यज्ञ-रक्षार्थं नयति); Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.11 (दण्डकारण्ये मुनयः राक्षस-पीडां निवेदयन्ति)
Āśrama as dharma-kṣetra motif common in Itihāsa-Purāṇa
Ayodhyākāṇḍa 2.116: sages’ agitation leading to relocation plan.
अनुष्टुप्
Solemn
मन्द्र-निषाद-स्पर्शः, करुण-ध्वनिः; अन्ते उदात्त-उत्थानं (चोदयन्ति)
FAQs
When dharmic life becomes impossible due to persistent adharma, withdrawal to preserve spiritual practice can be justified; the verse highlights safeguarding tapas and satya-based ritual life.
Because the hermitages are being defiled by wicked aggressors, the sages press their leader to relocate to a safer region.
Prudence and responsibility: the sages prioritize the continuity of sacred duties over attachment to a particular place.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
