Valmiki Ramayana 2.119.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 19
अनसूयाप्रीतिदानम् · Anasūyā’s Blessing and the Forest Path
Addressed to RamaSetting: महारण्यम् (दण्डकारण्य-प्रायः)वन-प्रवेश/वनवास-आरम्भ-चरणः
रक्षांसि पुरुषादानि नानारूपाणि राघव ।
वसन्त्यस्मिन्महारण्ये व्यालाश्च रुधिराशनाः ॥१९॥
rakṣāṃsi puruṣādāni nānārūpāṇi rāghava |
vasanty asmin mahāraṇye vyālāś ca rudhirāśanāḥ ||19||
हे राघव, इस बड़े जंगल में बहुत राक्षस रहते हैं। वो इंसान खाते हैं और अलग-अलग शकल के होते हैं। यहाँ शेर और बाघ भी हैं जो खून पीते हैं।
Sandhi Notes
- vasanti asmin → vasanty asmin (i + a → ya)
- asmin mahāraṇye → asminmahāraṇye
O Rama, this great forest is haunted by carnivorous demons who can assume anyform and by blood-drinking wild animals.
The teaching
अधर्म-हिंसा यत्र प्रबलं, तत्र क्षात्रस्य दण्डः करुणा-रूपेण प्रवर्तते—रक्षणं धर्मस्य अङ्गम्।
Duties in tension
- वनवास-धर्म (peaceful exile)
- क्षात्र-धर्म (destroying violent threats)
- तापस-रक्षा (protecting ascetics)
- Ethical theme
- Rāja/kṣātra-dharma (protective justice)
- How it resolves
- Assertive protection (दण्ड-नीति) within dharma
Devotion and practice
भय-निवारण हेतु राम-स्मरण; ‘रक्ष’ भावेन शरणागति-प्रवृत्ति।
- Deity praised
- राम (धर्म-रक्षक)
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)
- Mood
- Ominous, threatening, urgent
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Itihasa
- Ethics
- Protection of ascetics
- Forest dangers
अन्तर्बाह्य-राक्षस-प्रतीक—काम-क्रोधादयः ‘पुरुषाद’ इव साधकं भक्षयन्ति; विवेक-शस्त्रेण रक्षणीयम्।
कठोपनिषद्-मार्ग-भय-रूपक (क्षुरस्य धारा) की ध्वनि—दुर्गम-मार्गे भय-उपस्थितिः।
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.1-2 (दण्डकारण्ये राक्षस-उपद्रव); Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.5-7 (तापस-रक्षणार्थं रामस्य प्रतिज्ञा); Rāmacaritamānasa Araṇya-kāṇḍa (तापस-रक्षा, राक्षस-वध-प्रसङ्ग)
पुराणेषु राक्षसाः as यज्ञ-विघ्नकारिणः
अयोध्याकाण्डे वनवास-प्रसङ्गे भय-निवारण हेतु लक्ष्मण-उत्साह
Anuṣṭup
Commanding
Pañcama
FAQs
Speaking truthfully about danger (satya) is itself dharma, especially when it helps protect the innocent and supports a righteous mission.
Ascetics inform Rama about the lethal threats in the forest—shape-shifting rākṣasas and predatory animals.
The ascetics’ responsibility and candor: they warn without exaggeration, enabling rightful protection and prudent action.
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