← 3.43.3 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 43: Lakṣmaṇa leaves Sītā · 3.43.5 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.43.4
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
3.43.4
rakṣasāṃ vaśam āpannaṃ siṃhānām iva govṛṣam
na jagāma tathoktas tu bhrātur ājñāya śāsanam
fallen into the power of the rākṣasas like a bull into the power of lions. But though thus told, he did not go, mindful of his brother's command.
Words: rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; vaśam — power; āpannaṃ — fallen into; siṃhānām — of lions; iva — like; govṛṣam — a bull; na — not; jagāma — went; tathoktas — thus addressed; tu — but; bhrātur — of his brother; ājñāya — being mindful of, knowing; śāsanam — the command
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.