Valmiki Ramayana 2.56.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 9

चित्रकूटगमनम् तथा पर्णशालाप्रवेशः

Arrival at Chitrakuta and Establishing the Leaf-Hut

Devanagari script

एष क्रोशति नत्यूहस्तं शिखी प्रतिकूजति ।

रमणीये वनोद्देशे पुष्पसंस्तरसङ्कटे ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.56.9

Transliteration

eṣa krośati natyūhas taṃ śikhī pratikūjati |

ramaṇīye vanoddeśe puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe ||9||

Translation

ഇവിടെ നത്യൂഹ പക്ഷി വിളിക്കുന്നു; അതിന് മയൂർൻ പ്രതിവിളിയായി കൂജിക്കുന്നു. വീണുപോയ പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ കട്ടിയായി വിരിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന ഈ മനോഹര വനഭാഗത്തിൽ.

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Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• krośati: cries, screams
• krośati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kruś (क्रुश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• natyūhaḥ: the natyūha bird
• natyūhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: natyūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tam: that (one/it)
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; pronoun referring to the bird (or its call)

• śikhī: the peacock
• śikhī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratikūjati: calls back, responds with a cry
• pratikūjati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√kūj (कूज् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Prathama, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with prefix prati

• ramaṇīye: delightful
• ramaṇīye: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramaṇīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; adjective qualifying vanoddeśe

• vana-uddeśe: in the forest region
• vana-uddeśe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + uddeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘region of the forest’

• puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe: where the ground is thickly strewn with flowers
• puṣpa-saṃstara-saṅkaṭe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa + saṃstara + saṅkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; multi-member tatpuruṣa: puṣpāṇāṃ saṃstaraḥ (flower-strewn carpet) tena saṅkaṭaḥ (covered/filled)

Context

In this delightful forest region strewn with fallen flowers the peacock is responding to the screaming of natyuha bird.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Inner composure aligned with dharma: even amid exile, Rāma’s mind remains steady and appreciative rather than bitter, reflecting disciplined sattva and self-control.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma describes the sounds and beauty of the forest—birdcalls, peacocks, and flower-strewn ground—framing the wilderness as a livable, even sacred, space.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sahṛdayatā (refined sensitivity) joined to fortitude: Rāma perceives harmony in nature while maintaining resolve in adversity.