Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 96: Lakṣmaṇa Notices Bharata’s Army
Text 2.96.18
एष वै सुमहाञ्श्रीमान्विटपी संप्रकाशते।
विराजत्युद्गतस्कन्धः कोविदारध्वजो रथे॥
eṣa vai sumahāñ śrīmān viṭapī samprakāśate
virājaty udgata-skandhaḥ kovidāra-dhvajo rathe
eṣaḥ vai = here; sumahān = and very large; śrīmān = a beautiful; viṭapī = tree; samprakāśate = is clearly visible; virājati = shines; udgata-skandhaḥ = a majestic flag with a painting of that; kovidāra-dhvajaḥ = kovidāra tree; rathe = on a chariot.
Here a beautiful and very large tree is clearly visible. A majestic flag with a painting of that kovidāra tree shines on a chariot.
What was the sign that Bharata was arriving? Lakṣmaṇa stated that here. A beautiful and very large [kovidāra] tree was clearly visible [to Lakṣmaṇa] and it is detailed in the second line of this verse.