Valmiki Ramayana 2.25.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 18

कौशल्याया मङ्गलविधानम् · Kausalya’s Benedictions and Protective Rites for Rama

Spoken by Kaikeyi to RamaSetting: Ayodhya (departure context; forest ahead implied)Places named: कानन, गहनSetting out toward exile in the forest (vana-gamana)

Devanagari script

प्लवगा वृश्चिका दंशामशकाश्चैव कानने ।

सरीसृपाश्च कीटाश्च मा भूवन्गहने तव ॥१८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.25.18

Transliteration

plavagā vṛścikā daṃśā maśakāś caiva kānane |

sarīsṛpāś ca kīṭāś ca mā bhūvan gahane tava ||18||

Translation

इस घने जंगल में बंदर, बिच्छू, मच्छर तुम्हे तकलीफ न दें। साँप-बिच्छू और कीड़े मकोड़े भी तुम्हे छेड़ न दें।

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Word by Word

• plavagāḥ: monkeys
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• vṛścikāḥ: scorpions
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛścika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• daṃśāḥ: biting gnats
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• maśakāḥ: mosquitoes
• Type: Noun
• Root: maśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha

• eva: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle
• Role: Sambandha

• kānane: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: kānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī Ekavacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• sarīsṛpāḥ: reptiles/creeping creatures
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarīsṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha

• kīṭāḥ: insects
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha

• mā: may not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prohibitive particle
• Role: Sambandha

• bhūvan: be (present)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (aorist) 3rd person plural; with mā = prohibitive 'let them not be'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• gahane: in the thicket/inaccessible place
• Type: Noun
• Root: gahana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī Ekavacana; locative
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• tava: for you/your
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī Ekavacana; genitive relation
• Role: Sambandha

Sandhi Notes

• dṃśāmaśakāḥ = daṃśāḥ + maśakāḥ
• caiva = ca + eva
• mā bhūvan-gahane = mā + bhūvan + gahane

Context

May monkeys, scorpions, wild gnats, mosquitoes, reptiles and insects in that inaccessible forest not trouble you!

The teaching

When duty cannot be altered, love expresses itself as prayer for obstacle-free conduct of dharma.

Duties in tension

• Maternal protection (mātṛ-dharma) vs acceptance of Rama’s exile-duty (rāja-ājñā/pitṛ-vacana)

Ethical theme

Family duty vs obedience to righteous command

How it resolves

Benedictive accommodation (āśīrvāda while yielding)

Devotion and practice

Model for śānti-prārthanā before travel; cultivating protective goodwill (maitrī) and surrender.

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

मा भूवन् (protective prohibitive blessing)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Anxious, tender, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Practical welfare
• Non-injury
• Forest-exile
• Daily hardships

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Forest (Kānana/Gahana)
• Monkeys (Plavaga)

FAQs

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

Dharma is lived amid ordinary discomforts: the verse acknowledges that righteousness in exile includes patiently facing small but constant hardships.

What is the narrative situation?

Beyond supernatural threats, the blessing addresses everyday dangers and irritations of forest life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Forbearance (kṣamā/titikṣā): the ability to endure minor afflictions without abandoning one’s truthful path.