Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 23

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम्

Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Devanagari script

तान्यद्यानुरुदन्तीव परित्यक्तानि कामिभिः।।2.71.23।।

अरण्यभूतेव पुरी सारथे प्रतिभाति मे।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.71.23

Transliteration

tāny adyānurudantīva parityaktāni kāmibhiḥ || 2.71.23 ||

araṇyabhūteva purī sārathe pratibhāti me |

Translation

আজি কামাসক্ত লোকসকলে পৰিত্যাগ কৰা সেই উদ্যানসমূহ যেন কান্দি আছে বুলি লাগে; হে সাৰথি, এই পুৰী মোৰ দৃষ্টিত যেন অৰণ্যৰূপ হৈ পৰিছে।

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Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ārtam: anguished
• ārtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: PPP (kta) from ṛ (to suffer) / conventional adjective; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying "tam"

• deva-saṅkāśam: god-like
• deva-saṅkāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: deva + saṅkāśa ('resembling a god'); Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying "tam"

• samīkṣya: having looked at
• samīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्)

• patitam: fallen
• patitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (धातु) > patita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying "tam"

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• nikṛttam: cut off
• nikṛttam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-kṛt (धातु) > nikṛtta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agreeing with "skandham"

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle

• sālasya: of a śāla tree
• sālasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• skandham: trunk/shoulder (here: trunk)
• skandham: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• paraśunā: by an axe
• paraśunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Context

O charioteer, people full of passion have abandoned the gardens. To me, the city looks like a forest as if weeping.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Sumantra

FAQs

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

The verse suggests that when dharma is threatened, the very ‘habitation’ of a city—its shared joy and culture—withdraws. Moral disorder is experienced as desolation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama observes the gardens empty and interprets the city’s atmosphere as mournful and unnatural.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s compassion: he perceives the collective sorrow and responds inwardly with concern rather than self-absorption.