← 3.41.11 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 41: Rāma pursues the deer · 3.41.13 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.41.12

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 41: Rāma pursues the deer. Lakṣmaṇa suspects Mārīca, Sītā asks for the living animal or its hide and Rāma leaves Lakṣmaṇa to guard her

In the sequence: Sītā interrupts and asks Rāma to capture it for their enjoyment

3.41.12

na cāsya sadṛśo rājan dṛṣṭapūrvo mṛgaḥ purā
tejasā kṣamayā dīptyā yathāyaṃ mṛgasattamaḥ

but never before, O prince, has a deer like this been seen—in splendour, gentleness, and radiance such as this best of deer.

Words: na cāsya — and not of this; sadṛśo — like, equal; rājan — O prince, king; dṛṣṭapūrvo — seen before; mṛgaḥ — deer; purā — before, formerly; tejasā — in splendour; kṣamayā — in gentleness, forbearance; dīptyā — in radiance; yathāyaṃ — as this; mṛgasattamaḥ — the best of deer

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.