Valmiki Ramayana 1.5.4 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 4

अयोध्यानगरवर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya and the Ikshvaku Royal Setting

Devanagari script

तदिदं वर्तयिष्यामि सर्वं निखिलमादित: ।धर्मकामार्थसहितं श्रोतव्यमनसूयया ।।।।

Transliteration

tad idaṃ vartayiṣyāmi sarvaṃ nikhilam āditaḥ | dharma-kāma-artha-sahitaṃ śrotavyam anasūyayā ||

Translation

অতএব আমি আদ্যন্ত সম্পূর্ণভাবে এই কাহিনি বর্ণনা করব—ধর্ম, অর্থ ও কামে সমন্বিত এই আখ্যান অনসূয়া, অর্থাৎ দোষদৃষ্টি-রহিত মনে শ্রবণীয়।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण/निर्देशक (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (pronoun; neuter; nominative/accusative singular)

• इदम्: this (this narrative/itihāsa)
• इदम्: कर्म (object) / वाक्यविषयः
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (pronoun; neuter; nominative/accusative singular)

• वर्तयिष्यामि: I shall relate / set forth / expound
• वर्तयिष्यामि: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्तय् (धातु; √वृत् + णिच्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (simple future; 1st person singular; parasmaipada)

• सर्वम्: entirely / all
• सर्वम्: कर्मविशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) इदम्-शब्दस्य

• निखिलम्: whole, complete
• निखिलम्: कर्मविशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) इदम्-शब्दस्य

• आदितः: from the beginning
• आदितः: अधिकरण/काल-निर्देश (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्धितान्त-अव्यय (तसिल्); अर्थे 'आरम्भात्' (indeclinable adverb; from the beginning)

• धर्मकामार्थसहितम्: accompanied by dharma, kāma and artha
• धर्मकामार्थसहितम्: कर्मविशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + काम + अर्थ + सहित (प्रातिपदिक); 'धर्मकामार्थैः सहितम्' इति
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सह-सम्बन्धः); विशेषणम् (qualifier) इदम्/श्रोतव्यम्-सम्बद्धम्

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be heard
• श्रोतव्यम्: विधेय/भावकर्म (predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु; √श्रु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेयभावः—'श्रवणीयम्/श्रवितव्यम्' (gerundive; to be heard)

• अनसूयया: without malice; without prejudice
• अनसूयया: करण (instrument/means; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; instrumental singular); भाववाचक-शब्दः (with non-carping / without prejudice)

Context

I shall propagate this Ramayanam, incorporating the merits of dharma, artha and kama, and complete in all respects. It deserves to be heard right from the start without prejudice.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmāyaṇa
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined listening and fair inquiry: sacred history should be received without malice or bias, and dharma is presented as integrated with life’s aims (artha and kāma) rather than isolated from them.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator announces an intention to recount the Rāmāyaṇa completely from the start and instructs the audience on the proper attitude for hearing it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Intellectual humility and impartiality (anasūyā)—the virtue of learning without cynicism or envy.