Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 50

गुणप्रशंसा–युवराजनिर्णयः

Praise of Rama’s Virtues and the Decision on the Heir-Apparent

Devanagari script

सलब्धमानैर्विनयान्वितैर्नृपैःपुरालयैर्जानपदैश्च मानदैः।उपोपविष्टैर्नृपतिर्वृतो बभौसहस्रचक्षुर्भगवानिवामरैः।।।।

Transliteration

sa labdhamānaiḥ vinayānvitair nṛpaiḥ purālayair jānapadaiś ca mānadaiḥ |

upopaviṣṭair nṛpatir vṛto babhau sahasracakṣur bhagavān ivāmaraiḥ ||

Translation

সম্মানপ্রাপ্ত বিনয়ী নৃপতিদের দ্বারা এবং শ্রদ্ধাশীল নগরবাসী ও জনপদবাসীদের দ্বারা—যাঁরা নিকটে উপবিষ্ট ছিলেন—পরিবৃত রাজা এমন শোভা পেলেন, যেন দেবগণে পরিবৃত সহস্রনয়ন ভগবান ইন্দ্র।

Word by Word

• स: with / possessing
• स: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: Avyaya, intensifier/particle used with participle (sa- 'with/possessing')

• लब्धमानैः: by those who had obtained honour
• लब्धमानैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha-māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: labdha (√labh + क्त) + māna; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies नृपैः

• विनयान्वितैः: endowed with humility
• विनयान्वितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya-anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: vinaya + anvita (√i + kta with anu-); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies नृपैः

• नृपैः: by kings
• नृपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• पुरालयैः: town-dwelling
• पुरालयैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pura-ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: pura + ālaya ('dwelling in towns'); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies (nṛpaiḥ)

• जानपदैः: rural / provincial
• जानपदैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jānapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 'from the countryside'

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• मानदैः: respectful / honouring
• मानदैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 'honour-giving/respectful'

• उपोपविष्टैः: seated nearby
• उपोपविष्टैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-upa-viś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: PPP (क्त) from upa-√viś with reduplicated upa (nearby); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies (nṛpaiḥ)

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: PPP (क्त) from √vṛ 'to cover/surround'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with नृपतिः

• बभौ: shone / appeared splendid
• बभौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• सहस्रचक्षुः: the thousand-eyed (Indra)
• सहस्रचक्षुः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra-cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: 'whose eyes are a thousand' (Indra); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile particle

• अमरैः: by the gods
• अमरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

Dasaratha, a bull among men, loved all his four sons equally just as the arms of his own body.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Indra (Sahasracakṣus)
• kings

FAQs

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

The ideal of harmonious polity: when leaders are humble (vinaya) and society offers respectful cooperation, kingship becomes luminous and dharmic—like Indra supported by the devas.

What is the narrative situation?

The assembly is fully formed: honoured kings and respected citizens from town and countryside sit near Daśaratha, creating a grand, ordered court scene.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (modesty) in the powerful and mutual respect between ruler and subjects—virtues that sustain righteous rule.