Valmiki Ramayana 2.80.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 80, Shloka 4

मर्गनिर्माणम्

Roadworks and the Royal Route Prepared for Bharata

Devanagari script

स तु हर्षात्तमुद्देशं जनौघो विपुलः प्रयान् ।

अशोभत महावेगस्समुद्र इव पर्वणि ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.80.4

Transliteration

sa tu harṣāt tam uddeśaṃ janaugho vipulaḥ prayān |

aśobhata mahāvegaḥ samudra iva parvaṇi ||4||

Translation

Jener gewaltige Menschenstrom, freudig zum bestimmten Ort ziehend, wogte mit großer Geschwindigkeit dahin, herrlich wie das Meer, das zur festlichen Vollmondflut anschwillt.

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he/that (multitude)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, sarvanāma)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• tu: but / indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) indicating contrast/emphasis

• harṣāt: from joy / with joy
• harṣāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harṣa (हर्ष-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative, 5th case), Ekavacana; hetu/ कारण sense 'from/with joy'

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, sarvanāma)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd case), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa to uddeśam

• uddeśam: region / appointed place
• uddeśam: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddeśa (उद्देश-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; destination (गन्तव्य)

• janaughaḥ: multitude of people
• janaughaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaugha (जनौघ-प्रातिपदिक) = jana + ogha
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: janānām oghaḥ (flood/mass of people)

• vipulaḥ: vast
• vipulaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (विपुल-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of janaughaḥ

• prayān: proceeding
• prayān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √yā (या, to go)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agreeing with janaughaḥ; 'going/proceeding'

• aśobhata: shone / looked splendid
• aśobhata: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √śubh (शुभ्, to shine)
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada usage; 'shone/appeared splendid'

• mahāvegaḥ: of great speed
• mahāvegaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahāvega (महावेग-प्रातिपदिक) = mahā + vega
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: mahān vegaḥ yasya/mahā- (great-speed); used as viśeṣaṇa of samudraḥ (upamāna)

• samudraḥ: ocean
• samudraḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (समुद्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; upamāna in simile with iva

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka particle (उपमावाचक निपात)

• parvaṇi: on a festival/full-moon day
• parvaṇi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvan (पर्वन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative, 7th case), Ekavacana; time-locative (काले अधिकरणे)

Context

Like a swollen ocean on a full-moon day the multitude of people proceeded joyfully with great speed to the appointed place.

FAQs

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

Collective discipline in public life: a community moves together toward a shared duty, suggesting social harmony and coordinated action.

What is the narrative situation?

After preparations begin, the large body of people proceeds swiftly and happily toward the planned destination.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Public spirit and unity—people cooperate and move with shared purpose rather than disorder.