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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.87.8

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: Bharata recognizes the mountain and river described by Bharadvāja

2.87.8

ayaṃ giriś citrakūṭas tathā mandākinī nadī
etat prakāśate dūrān nīlameghanibhaṃ vanam

This is Mount Citrakūṭa, and there the river Mandākinī; this forest, resembling a dark cloud, shines forth from afar.

Words: ayaṃ — this; giriś — mountain; citrakūṭas — Citrakūṭa; tathā — and, likewise; mandākinī — the Mandākinī; nadī — river; etat — this; prakāśate — shines forth, appears; dūrān — from afar; nīlameghanibhaṃ — resembling a dark cloud; vanam — forest

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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.