Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 16

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm

Devanagari script

नाराजके जनपदे सिद्धार्था व्यवहारिणः।कथाभिरनुरज्यन्ते कथाशीलाः कथाप्रियैः।।।।

Transliteration

nārājake janapade siddhārthā vyavahāriṇaḥ | kathābhir anurajyante kathāśīlāḥ kathāpriyaiḥ ||

Translation

রাজাহীন জনপদে বিবাদী-ব্যবহারকারীরা তাদের মামলায় সিদ্ধি লাভ করে না; আর কথাপ্রিয় শ্রোতাদেরও কথাশীলেরা কাহিনি বলে আনন্দিত করতে পারে না।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• arājake: in a kingless (state)
• arājake: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-rājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• janapade: in the country
• janapade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• siddhārthāḥ: successful (in their aims)
• siddhārthāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddha-artha (प्रातिपदिक; सिद्ध + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सिद्धः अर्थः येषाम्/सिद्धार्थाः)

• vyavahāriṇaḥ: people engaged in dealings/lawsuits
• vyavahāriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyavahārin (प्रातिपदिक; व्यवहारिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; व्यवहार-कर्तारः (litigants/men of business)

• kathābhiḥ: by stories
• kathābhiḥ: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• anurajyante: are delighted/entertained
• anurajyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√rañj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—रञ्ज्यन्ते/आनन्दं प्राप्नुवन्ति

• kathāśīlāḥ: accustomed to storytelling
• kathāśīlāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kathā-śīla (प्रातिपदिक; कथा + शील)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कथायाः शीलं येषाम्)

• kathāpriyaiḥ: with story-lovers
• kathāpriyaiḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी/associative-instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kathā-priya (प्रातिपदिक; कथा + प्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कथा प्रियं येषाम्)

Context

In a country without a king, young ladies adorned with golden ornaments no longer meet in the evening at the pleasure garden for sporting.

FAQs

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

The verse links dharma to justice and peace: without a ruler, judicial outcomes fail and even harmless cultural exchange loses its footing.

What is the narrative situation?

Continuing the description of a leaderless realm, the speakers stress that both courts (vyavahāra) and leisure (kathā) are undermined by disorder.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nyāya (justice) as a royal responsibility—implying that orderly adjudication is a key virtue of good governance.