Shloka 7

लोकसमुत्पत्ति-वर्णनम् तथा इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रशंसा

Cosmogony and Ikshvaku Genealogy as Counsel to Rama

Devanagari script

यस्येयं प्रथमं दत्ता समृद्धा मनुना मही।तमिक्ष्वाकुमयोध्यायां राजानं विद्धि पूर्वकम्।।।।

Transliteration

yasyeyaṃ prathamaṃ dattā samṛddhā manunā mahī | tam ikṣvākum ayodhyāyāṃ rājānaṃ viddhi pūrvakam ||

Translation

Ikṣvāku—dem Manu zuerst diese gedeihliche Erde verlieh—erkenne ihn als den frühesten König in Ayodhyā.

Word by Word

यस्यof whom / to whom (in relation)

इयम्this (she)

प्रथमम्first, originally

दत्ताwas given

समृद्धाprosperous, well-endowed

मनुनाby Manu

महीthe earth

तम्that (him)

इक्ष्वाकुम्Ikṣvāku

अयोध्यायाम्in Ayodhyā

राजानम्king

विद्धिknow (you), understand

पूर्वकम्as the first (in line)

Context

Manu had orginally bestowed the most prosperous earth on Ikshvaku and you know Ikshvaku was the first king of Ayodhya.

Characters & Entities

Manu

Ikṣvāku

Ayodhyā

Mahī (Earth)

FAQs

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

Dharma of kingship: sovereignty is depicted as a trust bestowed, implying the king’s duty to protect and make the land flourish rather than treat it as private possession.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker identifies Ikṣvāku as Ayodhyā’s first king, anchoring the legitimacy and antiquity of Rāma’s dynasty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Legitimate stewardship—rule grounded in rightful succession and responsibility to prosperity.