Valmiki Ramayana 2.119.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 8

अनसूयाप्रीतिदानम्

Anasūyā’s Blessing and the Forest Path

Devanagari script

रजनीचरसत्त्वानि प्रचरन्ति समन्ततः।तपोवनमृगा ह्येते वेदितीर्थेषु शेरते।।।।

Transliteration

rajanīcara-sattvāni pracaranti samantataḥ | tapovana-mṛgā hy ete veditīrtheṣu śerate ||

Translation

สัตว์ทั้งหลายที่ออกหากินยามราตรีกำลังเคลื่อนไหวอยู่รอบด้าน และกวางแห่งตโปวนนี้ก็นอนพักอยู่รายรอบสถานที่ศักดิ์สิทธิ์แห่งแท่นบูชา

Word by Word

• rajanī-cara-sattvāni: night-roaming creatures
• rajanī-cara-sattvāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक) + cara (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (rajanīyāṃ caranti iti sattvāni), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• pracaranti: wander about
• pracaranti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√car (चर् गत्याम्)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• samantataḥ: everywhere
• samantataḥ: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण/Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• tapo-vana-mṛgāḥ: deer of the ascetics' grove
• tapo-vana-mṛgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (tapasvinaḥ vanaṃ; tasmin mṛgāḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• ete: these
• ete: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; mṛgāḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vedi-tīrtheṣu: at the altar-sites/sacred spots
• vedi-tīrtheṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedi (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (vedyāḥ tīrthāni; locative plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• śerate: lie/sleep
• śerate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śī (शी शये)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Context

The night rangers have started moving everywhere and the deer in the penance grove are beginning to sleep around the sacred altars.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• tapovana (forest-hermitage)
• vedi (sacred altar)
• tīrtha (sacred spot)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is reverence for sacred space and the disciplined rhythm of life in an āśrama: even animals are portrayed as resting near consecrated places, underscoring the sanctity and order associated with tapas and ritual.

What is the narrative situation?

Night has set in during forest-life; Rama points out signs of nighttime activity and the settling of hermitage-deer near altar-sites.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s attentive, protective awareness (jāgratā) of the surroundings, and his sensitivity to the sacred environment.