Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 6, Shloka 9

अयोध्यावर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya under Daśaratha

Devanagari script

सर्वे नराश्च नार्यश्च धर्मशीलास्सुसंयता: ।उदिताश्शीलवृत्ताभ्यां महर्षय इवामला: ।।1.6.9।।

Transliteration

sarve narāś ca nāryaś ca dharmaśīlāḥ susaṃyatāḥ |

uditāḥ śīlavṛttābhyāṃ maharṣaya iva amalāḥ ||1.6.9||

Translation

All—men and women—were righteous in conduct and well self-controlled; flourishing through good character and behavior, they were pure like great sages.

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• nāryaḥ: women
• nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• dharmaśīlāḥ: righteous in conduct
• dharmaśīlāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (धर्मे शीलं येषाम्/धर्मशील); viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ/nāryaḥ

• su-saṃyatāḥ: well self-controlled
• su-saṃyatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + saṃyata (प्रातिपदिक; √yam धातु, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; kta-participle (क्त/PPP) from √yam (यम्) with sam-; su- as upapada; viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ/nāryaḥ

• uditāḥ: prosperous / flourishing
• uditāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udita (प्रातिपदिक; √ud धातु, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; kta (PPP) from √ud (उद्) ‘to rise/prosper’; viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ/nāryaḥ

• śīla-vṛttābhyām: by good character and conduct
• śīla-vṛttābhyām: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīla + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Dvivacana (Dual/द्विवचन); dvandva (शीलं च वृत्तं च); hetau/guṇe instrumental

• maharṣayaḥ: great sages
• maharṣayaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; upamāna in comparison with iva

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-vācaka avyaya (particle of comparison/उपमा-वाचक)

• amalāḥ: pure
• amalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ/nāryaḥ

Context

All men and women (in the city) were of righteous conduct, fully self-controlled and prosperous with good conduct and behaviour. They were pure like maharshis.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Maharṣis (as a comparison class)

FAQs

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

Dharma is lived as disciplined conduct (śīla-vṛtta) and self-control; societal prosperity is linked to inner restraint and purity.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator continues the civic portrait of Ayodhyā, emphasizing universal moral culture across genders and social life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Susaṃyama (self-restraint) and amalā (purity), presented as the shared virtue of the whole community.