Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 4

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

अल्पोष्णक्षुब्धसलिलां घर्मोत्तप्तविहङ्गमाम्।लीनमीनझषग्राहां कृशां गिरिनदीमिव।।2.114.4।।

Transliteration

alpōṣṇakṣubdhasalilāṁ gharmottaptavihaṅgamām |

līnamīnajhaṣagrāhāṁ kṛśāṁ girinadīm iva ||2.114.4||

Translation

It seemed like a thin mountain stream—its water scant, hot, and churned; its water-birds scorched by heat; its fish and crocodiles gone, leaving it dried and impoverished.

Word by Word

• अल्प-उष्ण-क्षुब्ध-सलिलाम्: having scant, hot, turbid water
• अल्प-उष्ण-क्षुब्ध-सलिलाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षुब्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष-समासः—‘अल्पं उष्णं क्षुब्धं सलिलं यस्याः सा’

• घर्म-उत्तप्त-विहङ्गमाम्: with birds scorched by the sun’s heat
• घर्म-उत्तप्त-विहङ्गमाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तप्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + विहङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘घर्मेण उत्तप्ताः विहङ्गमाः यस्याम्’—birds scorched by heat

• लीन-मीन-झष-ग्राहाम्: with fish and crocodiles vanished/hidden
• लीन-मीन-झष-ग्राहाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मीन (प्रातिपदिक) + झष (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—‘लीनाः/निलीनाः मीनाः झषाः ग्राहाश्च यस्याम्’ (fish, big fish, crocodiles gone/hidden)

• कृशाम्: emaciated/dried up
• कृशाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गिरि-नदीम्: a mountain-stream
• गिरि-नदीम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘गिरेः नदी’

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक

Context

(It appeared) like a lean mountain-stream with scant, hot and turbid waters, with scorched aquatic birds and with small and large fishes and crocodiles dead due to the heat of the Sun.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Rama

FAQs

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

The verse conveys that when dharma’s sustaining presence is removed, life-affirming rhythms collapse—like a stream drying up—teaching that moral order nourishes society as water nourishes nature.

What is the narrative situation?

A descriptive simile portrays Ayodhya as depleted and lifeless after Rama’s exile, comparing it to a dried mountain stream under harsh heat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s life-giving leadership is implied: his absence is depicted as ecological-like depletion, emphasizing his role as the kingdom’s sustaining force.