Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 13

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Addressed to RamaSetting: Forest lookout/camp vicinity where Lakṣmaṇa returns attention to Rāma to reportTransition from reconnaissance to briefing

Devanagari script

तामश्वगजसम्पूर्णां रथध्वजविभूषिताम् ।

शशंस सेनां रामाय वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥१३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.96.13

Transliteration

tām aśvagajasampūrṇāṃ rathadhvajavibhūṣitām |

śaśaṃsa senāṃ rāmāya vacanaṃ cedam abravīt ||13||

Translation

उसने राम को बताया कि वहाँ एक सेना है। घोड़ों और हाथियों से भरा हुआ है। रथ और झंडे भी लगे हैं। फिर उसने यह बात कही।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (army)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; refers to सेनाम्/चमूम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अश्वगजसम्पूर्णाम्: full of horses and elephants
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्व-गज-सम्पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘filled with horses and elephants’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• रथध्वजविभूषिताम्: adorned with chariots and banners
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ-ध्वज-विभूषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘adorned with chariots and banners’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• शशंस: reported
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘reported/told’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सेनाम्: army
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of śaśaṁsa
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• रामाय: to Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचन; dative ‘to Rama’
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

• वचनम्: words, statement
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of abravīt
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• इदम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; demonstrative ‘this’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘said’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• तामश्वगजसम्पूर्णाम् = ताम् + अश्वगजसम्पूर्णाम्
• वचनं चेदम् = वचनम् + च + इदम्
• इदमब्रवीत् = इदम् + अब्रवीत्

Context

He (Lakshmana) informed Rama about the army full of horses and elephants and decorated with chariot-banners and said these words:

The teaching

Loyal service includes timely, precise communication; leadership depends on truthful intelligence.

Duties in tension

• Maintaining peaceful exile conduct vs. preparing for confrontation
• Protecting Sītā vs. engaging with political forces

Ethical theme

Nīti-dharma (counsel, strategy) within kṣātra duty

How it resolves

Counsel-and-decision sequence initiated by accurate reporting

For your practice

Practice satya in speech and clarity in communication; offer one’s observations without exaggeration—useful as a vow (vrata) of truthful reporting.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Decisive, martial, reportorial

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Truthful reporting

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Army (senā)
• Horses
• Elephants

FAQs

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

Satya and responsibility in counsel: conveying observations accurately to one’s leader so decisions can be made without confusion or rumor.

What is the narrative situation?

After sighting the approaching force, Lakṣmaṇa formally reports its appearance to Rāma and begins advising action.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s duty-bound communication and readiness to advise.