Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 18

अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः — Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint

Mantharā Episode

Devanagari script

तेन भाण्डेन संस्तीर्णं श्रीमद्राजनिवेशनम्।अशोभत तदा भूयः शारदं गगनं यथा।।।।

Transliteration

tena bhāṇḍena saṃstīrṇaṃ śrīmad rāja-niveśanam | aśobhata tadā bhūyaḥ śāradaṃ gaganaṃ yathā ||

Translation

The splendid royal residence, strewn with those ornaments, shone all the more—like the clear autumn sky (glittering with stars).

Word by Word

• तेन: by that, with that
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भाण्डेन: with the belongings/ornaments
• भाण्डेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• संस्तीर्णम्: strewn, spread over
• संस्तीर्णम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गः सम्-; विशेषणम् (qualifying rājaniveśanam)

• श्रीमद्राजनिवेशनम्: the splendid royal residence
• श्रीमद्राजनिवेशनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमत् + राजनिवेशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रीमत् राजनिवेशनम्)

• अशोभत: shone, looked beautiful
• अशोभत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय-पूर्वक (a- as preverb here in form)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• भूयः: again, greatly
• भूयः: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; comparative sense)

• शारदम्: autumnal
• शारदम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying gaganam)

• गगनम्: sky
• गगनम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यथा: like, as
• यथा: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Context

The resplendent royal palace, strewn all over with several ornaments on the ground shone like the autumnal sky (studded with innumerable stars).

Characters & Entities

• royal palace (rāja-niveśana)
• ornaments (bhāṇḍa)

FAQs

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

The verse juxtaposes beauty with disturbance: outward brilliance can coexist with inner disorder. Dharma emphasizes inner steadiness and right conduct beyond mere spectacle.

What is the narrative situation?

Ornaments scattered on the palace floor create a star-like visual, prompting a poetic comparison to the autumn sky.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Aesthetic sensitivity of the epic’s narration: the capacity to observe and frame events with poetic clarity, even amid turmoil.