Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 14

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

अग्निं संशमयत्वार्य स्सीता च भजतां गुहाम्।सज्यं कुरुष्व चापं च शरांश्च कवचं तथा।।2.96.14।।

Transliteration

agniṃ saṃśamayatv ārya s sītā ca bhajatāṃ guhām |

sajyaṃ kuruṣva cāpaṃ ca śarāṃś ca kavacaṃ tathā ||2.96.14||

Translation

आर्य, अग्निं संशमय; सीता च गुहां भजताम्। चापं सज्यं कुरुष्व, शरान् कवचं च समादधस्व॥

Word by Word

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of saṁśamayatva

• संशमयत्व: having extinguished
• संशमयत्व: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) from causative stem: शमय (णिच्); ‘having extinguished/after putting out’

• आर्यः: O noble one
• आर्यः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा-एकवचन (vocative sense); address

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; subject with bhajatām

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• भजताम्: let (you two) resort to
• भजताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘let (two) take refuge’

• गुहाम्: cave
• गुहाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; object of bhajatām

• सज्यम्: strung
• सज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-ज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; predicate/object-complement with kuruṣva; ‘with string’

• कुरुष्व: make (ready)
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘make/do’

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• कवचम्: armor
• कवचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘also/likewise’)

Context

Rama the best among men replied to Lakshamana, Oh, Lakshmana, look properly and tell me to whom do you think this army might belong

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Sītā
• Agni (sacred fire/Agnihotra)
• Cave (guhā)
• Bow
• Arrows
• Armour

FAQs

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

Protecting dependents is a key dharma: Lakṣmaṇa prioritizes Sītā’s safety and urges preparedness, balancing ritual life with immediate protection.

What is the narrative situation?

Believing danger is approaching with the army, Lakṣmaṇa urges Rāma to end the fire-rite quickly and take defensive measures.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s protective devotion and tactical readiness.