Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 12

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

विचित्रकुसुमापीडा बहुमञ्जरि धारिणः।राघवं दर्शयिष्यन्ति नगा भ्रमरशालिनः।।2.48.12।।

Transliteration

vicitra-kusumāpīḍā bahu-mañjarī-dhāriṇaḥ |

rāghavaṃ darśayiṣyanti nagā bhramara-śālinaḥ || 2.48.12 ||

Translation

Trees laden with varied blossoms and heavy with many clusters—alive with bees—will present themselves to Rāghava (Rama), as if to greet him.

Word by Word

• vicitra-kusuma-āpīḍāḥ: with varied flower-clusters
• vicitra-kusuma-āpīḍāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra + kusuma + āpīḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying nagāḥ; 'having garlands/crowns of variegated flowers'

• bahu-mañjari-dhāriṇaḥ: bearing many flower-bunches
• bahu-mañjari-dhāriṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu + mañjarī + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying nagāḥ; 'bearing many blossoms'

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• darśayiṣyanti: will show; will present
• darśayiṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) [causative: darśay-]
• Form: Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural; causative (णिच्)

• nagāḥ: trees
• nagāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; here 'trees' (also 'mountains' in other contexts)

• bhramara-śālinaḥ: filled with bees
• bhramara-śālinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhramara + śālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying nagāḥ; 'abounding in bees'

Context

Trees with bunches of cololurful flowers and clusters of blossoms hovering over with black bees will present themselves to the son of the Raghus (Rama).

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Rāghava)
• trees (nagāḥ)
• bees (bhramara)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is portrayed as harmonizing with the cosmos: a righteous person’s presence evokes beauty and order, symbolized by nature’s ‘welcome.’

What is the narrative situation?

The speakers describe how the forest itself will appear festive and welcoming to Rama during exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s auspiciousness and moral radiance—his arrival is imagined to draw forth natural abundance.