Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 8

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

गजयूथानि वाऽरण्ये महिषा वा महावने।वित्रासिता मृगा स्सिंहै स्सहसा प्रद्रुता दिशः।।2.96.8।।

Transliteration

gaja-yūthāni vā ’raṇye mahiṣā vā mahāvane | vitrāsitā mṛgāḥ siṃhaiḥ sahasā pradrutā diśaḥ || 2.96.8 ||

Translation

ไม่ว่าจะเป็นโขลงช้างในพงไพร หรือฝูงกระบือในมหาวันอันหนาทึบ—เหล่ากวางและสัตว์ทั้งหลายที่ถูกสิงห์ทำให้หวาดผวา ต่างพากันแตกตื่นวิ่งหนีไปทุกทิศโดยฉับพลัน.

Word by Word

• गजयूथानि: elephant herds
• गजयूथानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘herds of elephants’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन; locative

• महिषाः: buffaloes
• महिषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• महावने: in the great forest
• महावने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन; locative ‘in the great wood’

• वित्रासिताः: frightened
• वित्रासिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-त्रस् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘frightened’

• मृगाः: wild animals
• मृगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• सिंहैः: by lions
• सिंहैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचन; instrumental

• सहसा: suddenly, quickly
• सहसा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रद्रुताः: ran away
• प्रद्रुताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-द्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘having run/fled’

• दिशः: to the directions
• दिशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; goal/direction (accusative of motion)

Context

Seeing those animals fleeing and hearing the clamour, Rama addressed Lakshmana,son of Sumitra, who was blazing with energy.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• lions
• forest

FAQs

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

Dharma includes reading signs without jumping to conclusions: Rama interprets the forest’s disturbance as evidence requiring verification, not immediate aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama notes abnormal animal behavior—stampede-like flight—suggesting danger or intrusion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) in evaluating indirect evidence.