Valmiki Ramayana 2.98.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98, Shloka 4

चित्रकूटप्रवेशः · Bharata Enters the Forest Toward Chitrakuta

Spoken by BharataSetting: Forest around CitrakūṭaPlaces named: Citrakūṭa (contextual)Search deployment with armed escort

Devanagari script

गुहो ज्ञातिसहस्रेण शरचापासिधारिणा ।

समन्वेषतु काकुत्स्थमस्मिन् परिवृतस्स्वयम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.98.4

Transliteration

guho jñātisahasreṇa śaracāpāsidhāriṇā |

samanveṣatu kākutstham asmin parivṛtaḥ svayam ||4||

Translation

బాణాలు, ధనుస్సులు, ఖడ్గాలు ధరించిన వెయ్యి బంధువులతో చుట్టుముట్టబడి గుహ స్వయంగా ఈ అడవిలో కాకుత్స్థ రాముని అన్వేషించుగాక।

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Word by Word

• guhaḥ: Guha
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• jñāti-sahasreṇa: with a thousand kinsmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (jñātīnām sahasram) = 'a thousand of kinsmen'
• Role: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• śara-cāpa-asi-dhāriṇā: armed with arrows, bow and sword
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषसमासः: śara-cāpa-asi (weapons) + dhārin 'bearing'
• Role: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Compound: Dvandva

• samanveṣatu: let (him) search for
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu√iṣ (धातु) with sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• kākutstham: Rama (Kakutstha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• asmin: in this (place/forest)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• parivṛtaḥ: surrounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'surrounded'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• svayam: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक-निपात (emphatic/reflexive indeclinable)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• गुहो = गुहः (visarga sandhi in pausa)
• ज्ञातिसहस्रेण (समास)
• शरचापासिधारिणा (समास)
• परिवृतस्स्वयम् = परिवृतः स्वयम् (ः + स → स्स)

Context

Let Guha, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen and armed with bows, arrows and swords look for Rama.

The teaching

Śastra can serve dharma when governed by restraint and right intention—protection, not domination.

Duties in tension

• Use of armed force in a forest of ascetics
• Need for security and effective search

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / āpaddharma (prudent security)

How it resolves

Armed readiness subordinated to a dharmic purpose (search/protection), not aggression

For your practice

Illustrates sevā to the righteous: mobilize one’s resources in service of dharma while maintaining humility.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Mobilized, vigilant, resolute

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Alliance
• Protection
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Guha
• Rama (Kākutstha)
• forest
• kinsmen
• bows
• arrows
• swords

FAQs

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

Dharma as collective responsibility: Bharata calls upon allies like Guha to assist in a righteous mission, emphasizing cooperation in service of truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata expands the search operation by delegating Guha and his armed kinsmen to look for Rama in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s prudence and strategic care—he ensures both speed and safety by deploying armed support.