Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 88, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

शून्यसंवरणारक्षामयन्त्रितहयद्विपाम्।अपावृतपुरद्वारां राजधानीमरक्षिताम्।।2.88.24।।अप्रहृष्टबलां शून्यां विषमस्थामनावृताम्।शत्रवो नाभिमन्यन्ते भक्षान्विषकृतानिव।।2.88.25।।

Transliteration

śūnyasaṃvaraṇārakṣām ayantritahayadvipām |

apāvṛtapuradvārāṃ rājadhānīm arakṣitām ||

aprahṛṣṭabalāṃ śūnyāṃ viṣamasthām anāvṛtām |

śatravo nābhimanyante bhakṣān viṣakṛtān iva ||

Translation

Hier wird die vorige Schilderung wiederholt: Ayodhyā mit offenen Toren und versagender Wehr, mit entmutigten Truppen und bloßgelegter Verwundbarkeit; so würden selbst Feinde es meiden, sie zu nehmen, wie man Speise meidet, die mit Gift befleckt ist.

Word by Word

• अद्य-प्रभृति: from today onward
• अद्य-प्रभृति: कालाधिकरण (temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय) + प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; कालवाचक अव्यय (from today onwards)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• शयिष्ये: I will sleep
• शयिष्ये: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तृणेषु: on the grass
• तृणेषु: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अधिकरण

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• फल-मूल-आशनः: eating fruits and roots
• फल-मूल-आशनः: कर्तृ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; द्वन्द्व (फल-मूल) + उपपद (आशन) (one who eats fruits and roots)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: काल/रीति (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• जटा-चीराणि: matted hair and bark garments
• जटा-चीराणि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + चीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व (matted hair and bark-garments)

• धारयन्: wearing
• धारयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (concomitant)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृसमानाधिकरण (concomitant action)

Context

Now the gates of our capital city (Ayodhya) are wide open. The city is unprotected and endangered. There are no guards to keep vigil over the ramparts. The horses and elephants are not in control (hence unprepared for battle). The army is unhappy and demoralised. At this state even the enemies will not like to seize the city, they will shun it like food mixed with poison.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā (capital city implied by rājadhānī)
• enemies (śatravaḥ)

FAQs

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

The same rāja-dharma warning is reinforced through repetition: governance must preserve order, discipline, and public confidence.

What is the narrative situation?

A repeated/duplicated śloka in the transmission underscores the capital’s vulnerability and demoralization.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Persistence in counsel—repeating the point to ensure the gravity of the crisis is understood.