Valmiki Ramayana 2.47.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 47, Shloka 10

अयोध्यायाः पौरविलापः

Lament of the Citizens of Ayodhya on Rama’s Absence

Devanagari script

सा नूनं नगरी दीना दृष्ट्वाऽस्मान् राघवं विना।भविष्यति निरानन्दा सस्त्रीबालवयोधिका।।।।

Transliteration

sā nūnaṃ nagarī dīnā dṛṣṭvā ’smān rāghavaṃ vinā | bhaviṣyati nirānandā sa-strī-bāla-vayodhikā || 2.47.10 ||

Translation

Gewiss wird jene Stadt verzagt sein, wenn sie uns ohne Rāghava erblickt; Frauen, Kinder und Greise werden ohne Freude sein.

Word by Word

• sā: she/that (city)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• nūnam: certainly
• nūnam: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (certainly)

• nagarī: city
• nagarī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (नगरी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• dīnā: dejected
• dīnā: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (दीन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नगरी इति विशेषणम्

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• asmān: us
• asmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (us)

• rāghavam: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (राघव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक-अव्यय/उपपद (without); द्वितीया-सम्बन्धः

• bhaviṣyati: will become
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• nirānandā: joyless
• nirānandā: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- (निर् उपसर्ग) + ānanda (आनन्द प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: नञ्/उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषः (without joy); स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नगरी इति विशेषणम्

• sastrībālavayodhikā: with women, children, and the aged
• sastrībālavayodhikā: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/स- उपसर्गार्थ) + strī (स्त्री) + bāla (बाल) + vayo-dhika (वयोधिक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: बहुव्रीहिः (having women, children, and the aged); स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नगरी इति विशेषणम्

Context

Seeing us return without Rama, the women, children and the aged of the city (Ayodhya) will certainly feel miserable and cheerless.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Raghava (Rama)
• Ayodhya citizens
• women
• elders

FAQs

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

Dharma here includes communal care: the speakers feel accountable for the emotional welfare of society’s vulnerable groups when the righteous protector (Rama) is absent.

What is the narrative situation?

Those who followed Rama foresee the grief in Ayodhya when they return without him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and civic-mindedness—awareness of how public loss impacts women, children, and elders.