Valmiki Ramayana 2.55.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 1

चित्रकूटमार्गोपदेशः

Instructions for the Chitrakuta Route and the Yamuna Crossing

Devanagari script

उषित्वा रजनीं तत्र राजपुत्रावरिन्दमौ।महर्षिमभिवाद्याथ जग्मतुस्तं गिरिं प्रति।।।।

Transliteration

uṣitvā rajanīṃ tatra rājaputrāv arindamau |

maharṣim abhivādyātha jagmatus taṃ giriṃ prati ||

Translation

ក្រោយពីស្នាក់នៅទីនោះមួយរាត្រី ព្រះរាជបុត្រទាំងពីរ—អ្នកបំបាក់សត្រូវ—បានគោរពវន្ទនាមហាឥសី ហើយចេញដំណើរទៅកាន់ភ្នំនោះ (ចិត្រកូដ)។

Word by Word

• uṣitvā: having spent (the night)
• uṣitvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा); 'having stayed/spent'

• rajanīm: night
• rajanīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• rājaputrā: the two princes
• rājaputrā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājaputra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• arindamau: destroyers of enemies
• arindamau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arindama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; viśeṣaṇa of rājaputrā

• maharṣim: the great sage
• maharṣim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• abhivādya: having paid obeisance
• abhivādya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-vad (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्/gerund)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); 'having saluted'

• atha: then/thereafter
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय: thereafter)

• jagmatuḥ: went
• jagmatuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); Parasmaipada

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• girim: mountain
• girim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prati: towards
• prati: Dik (दिक्/Direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Preposition/postposition (उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय) governing accusative; direction 'towards'

Context

After spending the night, the princes, destroyers of enemies, offered obeisance to thatgreat sage (Bharadhwaja) and went towards that mount Chitrkuta.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bharadvāja
• Citrakūṭa (mountain)

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as reverence to spiritual authority: before continuing their difficult path, the princes honor the sage, showing humility and gratitude.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa stay the night near Bharadvāja and depart the next day toward Citrakūṭa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respectful conduct (vinaya) and adherence to proper etiquette toward elders and sages.