Chapter 23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 23.1

इति ब्रुवति रामे तु लक्ष्मणोऽवाक्शिरा इव। ध्यात्वा मध्यं जगामाशु सहसा दैन्यहर्षयोः॥ तदा तु बद्ध्वा भृकुटी ध्रुवोर्मध्ये नरर्षभः। निशश्वास महासर्पो बिलस्थ इव रोषितः॥ तस्य दुष्प्रतिवीक्ष्यं तद् भृकुटीसहितं तदा। बभौ क्रुद्धस्य सिंहस्य मुखस्य सदृशं मुखम्॥

iti bruvati rāme tu lakṣmaṇo'vākśirā iva| dhyātvā madhyaṃ jagāmāśu sahasā dainyaharṣayoḥ|| tadā tu baddhvā bhṛkuṭī dhruvormadhye nararṣabhaḥ| niśaśvāsa mahāsarpo bilastha iva roṣitaḥ|| tasya duṣprativīkṣyaṃ tad bhṛkuṭīsahitaṃ tadā| babhau kruddhasya siṃhasya mukhasya sadṛśaṃ mukham||

English Meaning

Being addressed by Rama thus, Laksmana, the mighty hero, hanging down his head with half reluctance, pondered for sometime, and placed midway between joy and grief, with frown drawn in between his brows, began to sob hot and hard, like to an angry serpent in a cave belonging to another. Nobody could eye his face, having terrible frowns, which looked like that of an angry lion.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)