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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.87.14

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 87: Bharata locates Citrakūṭa. The marching army disturbs the forest, scouts report smoke and Bharata halts the main force to approach the dwelling

In the sequence: he points out the flowering slopes, disturbed wildlife, and dust raised by the marching company

2.87.14

niṣkūjam iva bhūtvedaṃ vanaṃ ghorapradarśanam
ayodhyeva janākīrṇā saṃprati pratibhāti mā

This forest of dreadful aspect, having fallen silent of birdsong, now appears to me like Ayodhyā thronged with people.

Words: niṣkūjam — silent, without birdcalls; iva — as if; bhūtvedaṃ — this, having become; vanaṃ — forest; ghorapradarśanam — of dreadful appearance; ayodhyeva — like Ayodhyā; janākīrṇā — thronged with people; saṃprati — now; pratibhāti — appears; mā — to me

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.