Valmiki Ramayana 2.54.39-40: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 54, Shlokas 39-40

भरद्वाजाश्रमप्राप्तिः · Arrival at Bharadvāja’s Hermitage and Counsel toward Citrakūṭa

Spoken by Bharadvaja to RamaSetting: Bharadvāja’s āśrama (speaker’s locus) with direction toward Citrakūṭa mountainPlaces named: चित्रकूटRoute-planning: from Prayāga region toward Citrakūṭa as recommended dwelling

Devanagari script

वासमौपयिकं मन्ये तव राम महाबल ।

नानानगगणोपेतः किन्नरोरगसेवितः ।

मयूरनादाभिरुतो गजराजनिषेवितः ॥३९॥

गम्यतां भवता शैल श्चित्रकूटः स विश्रुतः ।

पुण्यश्च रमणीयश्च बहुमूलफलायुतः ॥४०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.54.39-40

Transliteration

vāsam aupayikaṃ manye tava rāma mahābala |

nānā-naga-gaṇopetaḥ kinnaroraga-sevitaḥ |

mayūra-nādābhiruto gajarāja-niṣevitaḥ ||39||

gamyatāṃ bhavatā śailaś citrakūṭaḥ sa viśrutaḥ |

puṇyaś ca ramaṇīyaś ca bahu-mūla-phalāyutaḥ ||40||

Translation

โอ้พระรามผู้ทรงมหาพละ ข้าพเจ้าถือว่าสถานที่พำนักอันเหมาะสมสำหรับท่านคือภูเขาจิตรากูฏอันเลื่องชื่อ เต็มไปด้วยหมู่ไม้หลากชนิด มีเหล่ากินนรและนาคสัญจร เสียงนกยูงก้องกังวาน และเป็นที่เสด็จมาแห่งช้างผู้เป็นใหญ่ อุดมด้วยรากและผล ทั้งศักดิ์สิทธิ์และรื่นรมย์—ขอท่านจงไปยังที่นั้นเถิด

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Word by Word

• वासम्: dwelling / stay
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• औपयिकम्: suitable / proper
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औपयिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वासम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• मन्ये: I think
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• तव: for you / your
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• राम: O Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• महाबल: O mighty one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् बलः यस्य)
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• नानानगगणोपेतः: filled with many kinds of trees (lit. groups of ‘naga’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + नग + गण + उपेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (उपेत), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नानाविध-नगगणैः उपेतः = endowed with groups of various trees/mountains); ‘चित्रकूटः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• किन्नरोरगसेवितः: inhabited by kinnaras and serpents
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किन्नर + उरग + सेवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (सेवित), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (किन्नराश्च उरगाश्च) + तत्पुरुष-भावः (तैः सेवितः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Dvandva

• मयूरनादाभिरुतः: resounding with peacock calls
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मयूर + नाद + अभिरुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (अभिरुत), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मयूरनादैः अभिरुतः = resounding with peacock-cries)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• गजराजनिषेवितः: frequented by great elephants
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गजराज + नि + सेवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (सेवित), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गजराजैः निषेवितः = frequented by lordly elephants)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• गम्यताम्: let (it) be gone to / you should go
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आज्ञार्थः (let it be gone to)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• भवता: by you
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः
• Role: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/agent in passive)

• शैलः: mountain
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘चित्रकूटः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-भावे (apposition)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• चित्रकूटः: Chitrakuta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

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

• विश्रुतः: well-known
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘चित्रकूटः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• पुण्यः: sacred
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘चित्रकूटः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• रमणीयः: delightful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रमणीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘चित्रकूटः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• बहुमूलफलायुतः: abounding in many roots and fruits
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + मूल + फल + आयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (आयुत/युक्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (बहूनि मूलफलानि यस्मिन्/येन आयुतः = furnished with many roots and fruits)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• वासमौपयिकं → वासम् औपयिकम्
• गम्यतां is passive imperative (लोट् कर्मणि) with agent ‘भवता’
• शैलश्चित्रकूटः → शैलः चित्रकूटः (with sandhi and apposition)

Context

O mighty Rama, I think mount Chitrakuta is the right place for you to stay. Go there. That mountain is full of trees of every kind, is inhabited by kinneras and uragas (serpents). It echoes with the cries of peacocks, is frequented by mighty tuskers. Filled with fruits and roots, it is sacred and pleasant.

The teaching

Right action in adversity includes selecting an environment that supports both survival and inner steadiness; dharma is upheld through wise means (upāya) without abandoning principles.

Duties in tension

• Rama’s duty to obey paternal command and live in exile
• Rama’s duty to protect dependents (Sītā/Lakṣmaṇa) by choosing a safe, sustainable residence
• Rama’s duty to maintain kṣatriya readiness while pursuing a sāttvika life

Ethical theme

Dharma-sankata resolved by yukti (practical wisdom)

How it resolves

Pragmatic counsel aligned with dharma (aupāyika-vāsa): choose a sacred, resource-rich, defensible place

For your practice

Choosing a sāttvika ‘kṣetra’ (place) is a practical limb of sādhana; sacred landscape supports japa, restraint, and contentment.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Counseling, pastoral, sacred-delight

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Sacred-geography
• Forest-dwelling
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharadvāja
• Citrakūṭa
• Kinnara
• Uraga (serpents)
• Mayūra (peacocks)

FAQs

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

Dharma is guidance toward a righteous mode of living in exile: choosing a suitable, resource-rich, and sacred place supports disciplined life, non-violence, and continuity of duty even away from the kingdom.

What is the narrative situation?

After reaching Bharadvāja’s vicinity near Prayāga, Rama receives counsel to proceed to the renowned mountain Citrakūṭa, described as ideal for residence during exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Wise counsel and protective compassion (of the sage): Bharadvāja recommends a safe, abundant, and spiritually conducive location, aligning Rama’s hardship with dharmic living.