Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 18

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम् · Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Setting: Road approaching AyodhyaPlaces named: अयोध्याAfter seven nights on the road, nearing destination

Devanagari script

तां पुरीं पुरुषव्याघ्रस्सप्तरात्रोषितः पथि ॥१८॥

अयोध्यामग्रतो दृष्ट्वा सारथिं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.71.18

Transliteration

tāṃ purīṃ puruṣavyāghraḥ saptarātroṣitaḥ pathi ||18||

ayodhyām agrato dṛṣṭvā sārathiṃ vākyam abravīt |

Translation

Nachdem er sieben Nächte auf dem Weg verweilt hatte, sprach jener Tiger unter den Menschen, als er Ayodhyā vor sich sah, zu seinem Wagenlenker.

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Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• पुरीम्: city
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• पुरुषव्याघ्रः: tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); समास: पुरुषाणां व्याघ्रः (tiger among men)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सप्तरात्रोषितः: having stayed seven nights
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + रात्रि + उषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); समास: सप्त रात्रयः (dvigu) + उषितः (stayed) = 'having stayed seven nights'
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• पथि: on the way
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)

• अयोध्याम्: Ayodhya
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); apposition to 'पुरीम्'
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• अग्रतः: in front
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)
• Role: देशाधिकरण (Spatial adverb)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), 'having seen'
• Role: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)

• सारथिम्: the charioteer
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/To whom spoken)

• वाक्यम्: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)
• Role: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)

Sandhi Notes

• पुरुषव्याघ्रस्सप्तरात्रोषितः = पुरुषव्याघ्रः + सप्तरात्रोषितः
• अयोध्यामग्रतो = अयोध्याम् + अग्रतः
• वाक्यमब्रवीत् = वाक्यम् + अब्रवीत्

Context

Having spent seven nights on his way, that tiger among men (Bharata) saw Ayodhaya before him. He said to the charioteer:

The teaching

Even nearing what one loves, dharma may demand vigilance and restraint rather than indulgence in relief.

Duties in tension

• Personal longing for home and stability
• Duty to uphold truth/obedience amid impending royal turmoil

Ethical theme

Svadharma vs personal emotion

How it resolves

Anticipatory (conflict sensed, not yet resolved)

For your practice

Practice of mindful speech: pausing before speaking at emotionally charged thresholds; cultivating steadiness (śānti) in transition moments.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Weary-return, foreboding, hushed-expectation

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Duty
• Approach to the capital
• Dialogue cue

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Ayodhyā
• Charioteer (sārathi)

FAQs

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

Dharma is readiness to act rightly at the threshold of consequence—arrival at Ayodhyā signals that Bharata must now choose conduct aligned with truth and rightful order.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata completes a seven-night journey and, upon seeing Ayodhyā, begins to speak to his charioteer, introducing the next segment of dialogue.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense of responsibility—his first response on seeing the capital is purposeful communication, preparing for decisive, dharmic action.