Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 99, Shloka 18
चित्रकूटप्राप्तिः
Bharata Reaches Chitrakuta and Beholds Rama
एवं संविलपं स्तस्मिन्वने दशरथात्मजः।ददर्श महतीं पुण्यां पर्णशालां मनोरमाम्।।2.99.18।।सालतालाश्वकर्णानां पर्णैर्बहुभिरावृताम्।विशालां मृदुभिस्तीर्णां कुशैर्वेदिमिवाध्वरे।।2.99.19।।शक्रायुधनिकाशैश्च कार्मुकैर्भारसाधनैः।रुक्मपृष्ठैर्महासारै श्शोभितां शत्रुबाधकैः।।2.99.20।।अर्क रश्मि प्रतीकाशैर्घोरैस्तूणीगतैश्शरैः।शोभितां दीप्तवदनै स्सर्पैर्भोगवतीमिव।।2.99.21।।महारजतवासोभ्यामसिभ्यां च विराजिताम्।रुक्मबिन्दुविचित्राभ्यां चर्मभ्यां चापि शोभिताम्।।2.99.22।।गोधाङ्गुळित्रैरासक्तैश्चित्रैः काञ्चनभूषितैः।अरिसंघैरनाधृष्यां मृगै स्सिंहगुहा मिव।।2.99.23।।
evaṁ saṅvilapan tasmin vane daśarathātmajaḥ |
dadarśa mahatīṁ puṇyāṁ parṇaśālāṁ manoramām ||2.99.18||
sāla-tālāśvakarṇānāṁ parṇair bahubhir āvṛtām |
viśālāṁ mṛdubhis tīrṇāṁ kuśair vedim ivādhvare ||2.99.19||
śakrāyudha-nikāśaiś ca kārmukair bhāra-sādhanaiḥ |
rukma-pṛṣṭhair mahā-sāraiḥ śśobhitāṁ śatru-bādhakaiḥ ||2.99.20||
arka-raśmi-pratīkāśair ghorais tūṇī-gataiḥ śaraiḥ |
śobhitāṁ dīpta-vadanaiḥ sarpair bhogavatīm iva ||2.99.21||
mahā-rajata-vāsobhyām asibhyāṁ ca virājitām |
rukma-bindu-vicitrābhyāṁ carmabhyāṁ cāpi śobhitām ||2.99.22||
godhāṅguḷitrair āsaktaiś citraiḥ kāñcana-bhūṣitaiḥ |
ari-saṅghair anādhṛṣyāṁ mṛgaiḥ siṁha-guhām iva ||2.99.23||
अशा प्रकारे वनात विलाप करीत असताना दशरथनंदन भरताने एक विशाल, पवित्र व मनोहर पर्णशाळा पाहिली. ती शाल, ताळ व अश्वकर्ण यांच्या असंख्य पानांनी दाट आच्छादलेली होती; प्रशस्त होती आणि मृदू कुशांनी अशी पसरलेली होती जणू यज्ञातील वेदीच. इंद्राच्या वज्रासारख्या, भार पेलणाऱ्या, सुवर्णपृष्ठ, महाबल व शत्रुनिवारक अशा महाधनुष्यांनी ती शोभत होती; तसेच तूणीरांत ठेवलेल्या भयंकर बाणांनी, जे अर्ककिरणांसारखे तेजस्वी—जणू भोगवतीला उजळविणारे ज्वलंत फणाधारी सर्प. उज्ज्वल रजत म्यानांतील दोन तलवारींनी ती झळकत होती आणि सुवर्णबिंदूंनी नक्षीदार ढालींनीही शोभित होती. तेथे गोधा-चर्माचे अंगुलित्र लटकत होते—रंगीबेरंगी व सुवर्णालंकारांनी भूषित. शत्रुसमूहांसाठी ती अभेद्य होती—जशी मृगांसाठी सिंहाची गुहा।
Lamenting in this way Bharata beheld in that forest an excellent, sacred and enchanting hut covered with a lot of leaves of sala, palmyra and aswakarna trees like a sacrificial altar spread with soft kusa grass. Gold-plated bows that resembled the thunderbolt of Indra, powerful and capable of achieving great targets and oppressing the enemies, adorned the hut. Arrows glittering like the rays of the Sun, were dreadful, with blazing heads and stored in quivers adorned it like the hooded serpents illumining the city of Bhogavati (in the nether world). A pair of swords in scabbards made of excellent silver, two shields of different colours with golden spots, finger-guards made of skin of iguana decorated with gold were hanging there. It was impregnable to enemy hordes like the cave of a lion to the deer.
FAQs
Dharma is portrayed as harmonizing ascetic simplicity with righteous protection: the hut is sacred and altar-like, yet equipped to restrain adharma—showing that purity and preparedness can coexist.
As Bharata nears Rāma’s forest dwelling, the narration describes the impressive leaf-hut and its martial and ritual-like features, signaling both sanctity and vigilance.
Rāma’s balanced virtue: living simply like an ascetic while remaining capable of defending dharma—suggested by the presence of formidable weapons in a sacred setting.