← 3.41.45 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 41: Rāma pursues the deer · 3.41.47 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.41.46

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: he orders Lakṣmaṇa to remain alert beside Sītā, with Jaṭāyu nearby, while he captures or kills the deer and returns.

3.41.46

yāvad gacchāmi saumitre mṛgam ānayituṃ drutam
paśya lakṣmaṇa vaidehīṃ mṛgatvaci gataspṛhām

While I go, Saumitri, to fetch the deer quickly, watch over Vaidehī, Lakṣmaṇa, whose longing is set on the deer's hide.

Words: yāvad gacchāmi — while I go; saumitre — O Saumitri; mṛgam ānayituṃ — to bring the deer; drutam — quickly; paśya — watch, look after; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; vaidehīṃ — Vaidehī; mṛgatvaci — on the deer's hide; gataspṛhām — whose longing is set (upon)

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.