Valmiki Ramayana 2.98.16 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 98, Shloka 16

चित्रकूटप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters the Forest Toward Chitrakuta

Devanagari script

स गिरेश्चित्रकूटस्य सालमासाद्य पुष्पितम्।रामाश्रमगतस्याग्नेर्ददर्श ध्वजमुच्छ्रितम्।।2.98.16।।

Transliteration

sa gireś citrakūṭasya sālam āsādya puṣpitam |

rāmāśramagatasya agner dadarśa dhvajam ucchritam ||2.98.16||

Translation

เมื่อถึงต้นศาลาที่กำลังออกดอกบนภูเขาจิตรากูฏ ท่านได้เห็นควันจากไฟในอาศรมของพระราม พวยพุ่งสูงเป็นเสา ดุจธงชัยชูเด่น

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• gireḥ: of the mountain
• gireḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• citrakūṭasya: of Chitrakuta
• citrakūṭasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citrakūṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; proper noun

• sālam: śāla tree(s)
• sālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; collective sense ‘śāla-grove/śāla tree(s)’

• āsādya: having reached
• āsādya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sad (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यबन्त) with prefix ā-; ‘having reached/approached’

• puṣpitam: flowering
• puṣpitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying sālam

• rāmāśramagatasya: of (the fire) in Rama’s hermitage
• rāmāśramagatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma-āśrama-gata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘gone to/located at Rama’s hermitage’ qualifying agneḥ

• agneḥ: of the fire
• agneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• dadarśa: saw, beheld
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) perfect, Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• dhvajam: banner; (here) column/sign
• dhvajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ucchritam: raised high
• ucchritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-śrita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP from √śri with ud-; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying dhvajam

Context

On seeing the smoke, majestic Bharata in the company of relatives concluded that Rama was staying there and rejoiced like a man who had reached the other bank of the river.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Chitrakūṭa
• Rama
• fire (agni)
• śāla tree (sāla)

FAQs

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

Dharma is linked to āśrama-life and sacred order: the hermitage fire signifies disciplined living, hospitality, and truth-bound vows in exile.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata visually locates Rama’s hermitage by noticing the smoke rising from the sacrificial/domestic fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s adherence to righteous living even in exile—maintaining the sacred fire and āśrama discipline—is emphasized.