Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.2 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 2

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

इदं मेध्यमिदं स्वादु निष्टप्तमिदमग्निना।एवमास्ते स धर्मात्मा सीतया सह राघवः।।2.96.2।।

Transliteration

idaṃ medhyam idaṃ svādu niṣṭaptam idam agninā |

evam āste sa dharmātmā sītayā saha rāghavaḥ ||2.96.2||

Translation

ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ພຣະຣາຄະວະ (ພຣະຣາມ) ຜູ້ດຳລົງທຳ ນັ່ງຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນກັບນາງສີຕາ ແລະເມື່ອຖວາຍອາຫານ ກໍກ່າວວ່າ: “ນີ້ບໍລິສຸດຕາມພິທີ, ນີ້ອົບອຸ່ນອົດອ່ອນແຊບຊື່ນ, ແລະນີ້ໄດ້ຢ່າງດ້ວຍໄຟແລ້ວ.”

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; ‘this’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• मेध्यम्: pure; fit for offering
• मेध्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• स्वादु: tasty
• स्वादु: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वादु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण

• निष्टप्तम्: roasted
• निष्टप्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + तप् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; क्त-कृदन्त (past participle) ‘roasted/heated’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• अग्निना: with fire
• अग्निना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner), ‘thus’

• आस्ते: sits; remains seated
• आस्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present; narrative present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सीतया: with Sita
• सीतया: Sahakaraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (accompaniment marker)

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

Context

Turning his face to the north, he beheld a vast army consisting of chariots, elephants and horses and a well-equipped infantry.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Agni (fire)

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as mindful, disciplined living—maintaining purity and propriety (medhya) even in exile, showing that righteousness includes everyday conduct, not only heroic acts.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Sītā are seated together in the forest, taking food; the narration highlights their simple, regulated life just before the tension of an approaching army becomes apparent in later verses.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharmic steadiness—calm orderliness and care for what is proper and pure, even under hardship.