Valmiki Ramayana 2.99.20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 99, Shloka 20
चित्रकूटप्राप्तिः
Bharata Reaches Chitrakuta and Beholds Rama
एवं संविलपं स्तस्मिन्वने दशरथात्मजः।ददर्श महातीं 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||
Sambil meratap demikian di rimba itu, putera Daśaratha (Bharata) melihat sebuah pondok daun yang besar, suci dan indah—diselubungi lebat oleh daun śāla, tāla dan aśvakarṇa—luas, dan dialasi rumput kuśa yang lembut bagaikan pelantar korban dalam upacara yajña. Ia dihiasi busur-busur perkasa, berbelakang emas, penunduk musuh, laksana vajra Indra; serta anak-anak panah yang menggerunkan tersimpan dalam sarung, bersinar seperti sinar matahari, bagaikan ular berhud menyala menerangi Bhogavatī. Ia juga berkilau dengan sepasang pedang bersarung perak cemerlang, dan perisai beraneka warna bertitik titis emas. Tergantung pelindung jari daripada kulit biawak, indah dan berhias emas. Terhadap gerombolan musuh, ia tidak mudah ditembusi—seperti gua singa bagi rusa.
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.
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