Valmiki Ramayana 2.87.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 87, Shloka 22

गुहसंवादः—रामस्य रात्रिवासवर्णनम्

Dialogue with Guha: Account of Rama’s Night Halt

Devanagari script

नियम्य पृष्ठे तु तलाङ्गुलित्रवान् शरैस्सुपूर्णाविषुधी परन्तपः।महाद्धनु स्सज्यमुपोह्य लक्ष्मणो निशामतिष्ठत्परितोऽस्य केवलम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.87.22

Transliteration

niyamya pṛṣṭhe tu talāṅgulitravān śaraiḥ supūrṇāv iṣudhī parantapaḥ |

mahād dhanuḥ sajyam upohya lakṣmaṇo niśām atiṣṭhat parito 'sya kevalam ||

Translation

敵を焼き尽くすラクシュマナは、掌と指に護具を着け、矢で満ちた二つの矢筒を背に負い、弦を張った大弓を構えて、夜通し—ただ一人—ラーマの周囲をくまなく警護して立ち続けた。

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Word by Word

• niyamya: having fastened/strapped
• niyamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√yam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• pṛṣṭhe: on the back
• pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• talāṅgulitravān: wearing palm-and-finger guards
• talāṅgulitravān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: talāṅguli-tra (प्रातिपदिक) + -vat (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'तलयोः अङ्गुलीनां च त्रं' protective covering for palms and fingers), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (parantapaḥ/ lakṣmaṇaḥ)

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• supūrṇa: well-filled
• supūrṇa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su- (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (su+pūrṇa = very full), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (iṣudhī)

• iṣudhī: two quivers
• iṣudhī: Sahabhāva/Upādhi (सहभाव/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣudhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता-संज्ञा), द्विवचन

• parantapaḥ: the scorcher of foes (Rama)
• parantapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parantapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परान् तपति = scorches enemies), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (dhanuḥ)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• sajyam: strung
• sajyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sajya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (dhanuḥ)

• upohya: having taken/held
• upohya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√uh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल

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

• niśām: the night
• niśām: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/काल-अत्यन्त-संयोग), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• atiṣṭhat: stood
• atiṣṭhat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• paritaḥ: around
• paritaḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गसदृश-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• asya: of him (Rama)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• kevalam: alone/only
• kevalam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (adverbial use), क्रियाविशेषण

Context

Here at the foot of the ingudi tree and upon that bed of grass both Rama and Sita rested that night.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• bow (dhanuḥ)

FAQs

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

Protective duty as dharma: Lakṣmaṇa’s vigilance shows that love is expressed as responsibility—guarding the vulnerable while they rest.

What is the narrative situation?

While Rāma and Sītā sleep, Lakṣmaṇa keeps armed watch throughout the night.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s unwavering loyalty and readiness to defend (bhakti, vīrya, apramāda).