Valmiki Ramayana 2.55.33 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 33

चित्रकूटमार्गोपदेशः

Instructions for the Chitrakuta Route and the Yamuna Crossing

Devanagari script

क्रोशमात्रं ततो गत्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।बहून्मेध्यान्मृगान्हत्वा चेरतुर्यमुनावने।।।।

Transliteration

krośamātraṁ tato gatvā bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau | bahūn medhyān mṛgān hatvā ceratur yamunāvane ||

Translation

ครั้นไปจากที่นั้นราวหนึ่งโกรศ สองพี่น้องพระรามและพระลักษมณ์ได้ล่ากวางจำนวนมากอันควรแก่การบูชายัญ แล้วเสวยในพนาละแวกฝั่งยมุนา

Word by Word

• क्रोशमात्रम्: a krosa's distance
• क्रोशमात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोश-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/परिमाण), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• ततः: then; from there
• ततः: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (काल/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having gone’

• भ्रातरौ: the two brothers
• भ्रातरौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• रामलक्ष्मणौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of मृगान्)

• मेध्यान्: fit for sacrifice; pure
• मेध्यान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• मृगान्: deer
• मृगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having slain’

• चेरतुः: they roamed/moved about
• चेरतुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यमुनावने: in the Yamuna-forest (on the Yamuna bank)
• यमुनावने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमुना-वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

Context

After walking a krosa into the forest on the bank of Yamuna, the two brothers killed many deer suitable for sacrifice and ate them.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Yamuna (Kalindi)

FAQs

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

Dharma as regulated living: even necessities like food are framed within purity norms (medhya), reflecting disciplined conduct in exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama and Lakshmana travel further along the Yamunā-side forest and procure food by hunting deer considered ritually acceptable.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Austerity and adaptability—maintaining order and restraint while living the forest life.