Valmiki Ramayana 2.17.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 1

रामस्य राजमार्गगमनम्

Rama’s Progress along the Royal Highway

Devanagari script

स रामो रथमास्थाय सम्प्रहृष्टसुहृज्जनः ।

पताकाध्वजसम्पन्नं महार्हागरुधूपितम् ॥१॥

अपश्यन्नगरं श्रीमान्नानाजनसमाकुलम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.17.1

Transliteration

sa rāmo ratham āsthāya samprahṛṣṭasuhṛjjanaḥ |

patākādhvajasampannaṃ mahārhāgarudhūpitam ||1||

apaśyan nagaraṃ śrīmān nānājanasamākulam |

Translation

Da bestieg Rama den Wagen, während seine Freunde vor Freude jubelten; und der Glanzvolle schaute auf die Stadt, geschmückt mit Fahnen und Bannern, vom kostbaren Agaru-Rauchwerk durchduftet und voller Menschen aller Art.

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Word by Word

• सः: he/that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having mounted
• आस्थाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having mounted/after boarding’

• सम्प्रहृष्टसुहृज्जनः: whose friends/companions were delighted
• सम्प्रहृष्टसुहृज्जनः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्रहृष्ट (कृदन्त) + सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (suḥṛd-janaḥ = ‘of friends/companions’), पूर्वपद ‘सम्प्रहृष्ट’ विशेषण

• पताकाध्वजसम्पन्नम्: adorned with banners and flags
• पताकाध्वजसम्पन्नम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पताका (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्पन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पताकाध्वजैः सम्पन्नम् = ‘endowed with banners and flags’)

• महार्हागरुधूपितम्: perfumed with costly agaru-incense
• महार्हागरुधूपितम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महार्ह (प्रातिपदिक) + अगरु (प्रातिपदिक) + धूपित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महार्हेण अगरुणा धूपितम् = ‘fumigated/perfumed with costly agaru’)

• अपश्यन्: beholding/saw
• अपश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-पश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रिया—‘seeing/beholding’ (finite sense with ellipsis)

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रीमान्: illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of रामः)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable) used adjectivally = ‘various’

• जन: people
• जन: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन-प्रातिपदिकार्थ (in compound); here as prior member in समास

• समाकुलम्: crowded/filled
• समाकुलम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नगरम्)

Context

Surrounded by friends overwhelmed with great joy, that glorious Rama aboard the chariot beheld the city decorated with banners and pennants and made fragrant with expensive incense and agaru and crowded with multitudes of people.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Ayodhya (city)
• Agaru (fragrant wood/incense)

FAQs

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

Dharma is communal harmony: citizens and companions rejoice in a righteous succession, expressing social unity rather than factionalism.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama rides in a chariot and views Ayodhya festively decorated and crowded, as the city anticipates a major royal event.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lokasaṅgraha (upholding social cohesion): Rama’s presence draws collective joy and orderly celebration.