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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.45.9

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 45: Lakṣmaṇa keeps watch beside the Gaṅgā. Guha offers to guard the camp, Lakṣmaṇa refuses a bed and stays awake fearing the deaths of their grieving parents

In the sequence: Lakṣmaṇa says he trusts Guha, but cannot enjoy comfort while Rāma and Sītā lie on the ground

2.45.9

kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā
śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā

'When the son of Daśaratha lies on the bare ground with Sītā, how can sleep be won by me, or life itself, or any comforts?'

Words: kathaṃ — how; dāśarathau — when the son of Daśaratha; bhūmau — on the ground; śayāne — lies (loc. abs.); saha sītayā — together with Sītā; śakyā — able, possible; nidrā — sleep; mayā — by me; labdhuṃ — to be obtained; jīvitaṃ vā — or life; sukhāni vā — or comforts

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.