Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.11 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 11

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

स लक्ष्मण स्सन्त्वरित स्सालमारुह्य पुष्पितम्।प्रेक्षमाणो दिश स्सर्वाः पूर्वां दिशमुदैक्षत।।2.96.11।।

Transliteration

sa lakṣmaṇaḥ santvaritaḥ sālam āruhya puṣpitam | prekṣamāṇo diśaḥ sarvāḥ pūrvāṃ diśam udaikṣata ||

Translation

Lalu Lakṣmaṇa, dengan segera, memanjat sebatang pokok śāla yang sedang berbunga; setelah meninjau segala arah, dia menumpukan pandangan ke arah timur.

Word by Word

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

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; apposition to सः

• सन्त्वरितः: hurried
• सन्त्वरितः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-त्वर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘having hurried’/‘hurried’

• सालम्: a sāla tree
• सालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of āruhya

• आरुह्य: having climbed
• आरुह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having climbed’

• पुष्पितम्: flowering
• पुष्पितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-कृदन्त from पुष्प्/पुष्प)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; विशेषण of सालम्

• प्रेक्षमाणः: looking around
• प्रेक्षमाणः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘while looking’

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; object of ‘looking’

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; विशेषण of दिशः

• पूर्वाम्: eastern
• पूर्वाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; विशेषण of दिशम्

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of udaikṣata

• उदैक्षत: looked
• उदैक्षत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘looked up/observed’

Context

Lakshmana hurriedly climbed a flowering sala tree, surveyed in all directions and fixed his gaze on the east.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• śāla tree (sāla)
• pūrvā diś (east)

FAQs

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

Dharma as faithful service: Lakṣmaṇa responds promptly and methodically to Rāma’s instruction, showing that truth-seeking and protection of the vulnerable begin with disciplined obedience.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa carries out reconnaissance by climbing a tree to gain visibility and scanning the horizon, especially to the east.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alertness and devotion—Lakṣmaṇa’s readiness to act for Rāma’s safety and to obtain accurate information.