Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 9

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

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

Setting: Ayodhyā/its janapada (generalized)

Devanagari script

नाराजके जनपदे विद्युन्माली महास्वनः ।

अभिवर्षति पर्जन्यो महीं दिव्येन वारिणा ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.67.9

Transliteration

nārājake janapade vidyunmālī mahāsvanaḥ |

abhivarṣati parjanyo mahīṃ divyena vāriṇā ||9||

Translation

In einem Land ohne König lässt Parjanya, der donnernde, von Blitzen umkränzte, keinen himmlischen Regen auf die Erde niedergehen.

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Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)

• arājake: in a kingless (state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-rājaka (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• janapade: in the country
• Type: Noun
• Root: janapada (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• bīja-muṣṭiḥ: a handful of seeds
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja + muṣṭi (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: bījānāṃ muṣṭiḥ (handful of seeds)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• prakīryate: is sown/scattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṝ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada; karmavācya (passive): 'is scattered/sown'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)

• arājake: in a kingless (state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-rājaka (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• pituḥ: of the father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)

• putraḥ: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• bhāryā: wife
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; vikalpa (or)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• vartate: remains/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• vaśe: under control
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; 'under control' (locative of state)
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• nārājake = na + arājake
• bījamuṣṭiḥ = bīja-muṣṭiḥ (compound)

Context

In a country without a king, thunderous clouds garlanded by lightning would no longer water the earth with celestial showers.

The teaching

When human governance collapses, prosperity-signs withdraw; rājadharma is portrayed as aligned with cosmic order.

Duties in tension

• Deliberation/legitimacy vs immediate installation
• Private grief vs public welfare

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / loka-saṅgraha

How it resolves

State necessity framed as cosmic necessity

Devotion and practice

Reflects interdependence: ethical order supports outer harmony; encourages responsibility and yajña-minded living.

Deity praised

Parjanya (implicitly invoked as cosmic witness)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Ominous, storm-silence, cosmic-warning

Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Cosmic order
• Prosperity
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Parjanya (rain-god)
• janapada (realm)
• mahī (earth)

FAQs

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

It teaches the interdependence of rājadharma and societal prosperity: just rule sustains order that is metaphorically mirrored in nature’s fertility.

What is the narrative situation?

The ministers argue that kinglessness brings calamity, illustrating it through the image of rain failing in a lawless realm.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Governance as stewardship: leaders must be installed to preserve stability, livelihood, and well-being.