Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 96: Lakṣmaṇa Notices Bharata’s Army
Text 2.96.8
गजयूथानि वारण्ये महिषा वा महावने।
वित्रासिता मृगाः सिंहैः सहसा प्रद्रुता दिशः॥
gaja-yūthaṇi vāraṇye mahiṣā vā mahā-vane
vitrāsitā mṛgāḥ siṁhaiḥ sahasā pradrutā diśaḥ
gaja-yūthaṇi vā = herds of elephants; araṇye = in the forest; mahiṣāḥ = wild buffalos; vā = and; mahā-vane = in the greater forest; vitrāsitāḥ = frightened; mṛgāḥ = deer; siṁhaiḥ = by the lions; sahasā = suddenly; pradrutāḥ = are running away; diśaḥ = in all directions.
Herds of elephants in the forest, wild buffalos in the greater forest and deer frightened by the lions are suddenly running away in all directions.1
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa: vā-śabdau cārthe.
GLOSS. Herds of elephants were frighted by [the flight of] the lions. Wild buffalos were frightened by [the flight of] the herds of elephants. Deer were frightened by [the flight] of wild buffalos and suddenly ran away. Rāma wanted Lakṣmaṇa to find out the [ultimate] cause [of their fear].