← 3.43.1 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 43: Lakṣmaṇa leaves Sītā · 3.43.3 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.43.2

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 43: Lakṣmaṇa leaves Sītā. He identifies the cry as deception, but her accusations overcome his resolve to stay and he departs toward Rāma

In the sequence: Meanwhile Sītā hears the cry, believes Rāma is in danger, and urges Lakṣmaṇa to run to him

3.43.2

na hi me jīvitaṃ sthāne hṛdayaṃ vāvatiṣṭhate
krośataḥ paramārtasya śrutaḥ śabdo mayā bhṛśam

For neither my life nor my heart holds steady in its place; I have plainly heard the cry of one in utmost distress, calling out.

Words: na — not; hi — for; me — my; jīvitaṃ — life; sthāne — in (its) place; hṛdayaṃ — heart; vāvatiṣṭhate — or holds steady; krośataḥ — of (him) crying out; paramārtasya — of one in utmost distress; śrutaḥ — heard; śabdo — the sound, cry; mayā — by me; bhṛśam — greatly, plainly

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.