Shloka 2.48.35

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम् (Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation)

Devanagari script

उपशान्तवणिक्पण्या नष्टहर्षा निराश्रया।अयोध्या नगरी चासीन्नष्टतारमिवाम्बरम्।।2.48.35।।

Transliteration

upaśāntavaṇikpaṇyā naṣṭaharṣā nirāśrayā |

ayodhyā nagarī cāsīn naṣṭatāram ivāmbaram || 2.48.35 ||

Translation

With traders’ markets fallen silent, joy destroyed and support withdrawn, the city of Ayodhyā looked like a sky bereft of stars.

Context

With markets closed, the city of Ayodhya cheerless and shelterless looked like the sky without stars.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma is tied to societal stability: when rightful order is overturned, economic and communal life collapses, revealing how ethics and prosperity are interlinked.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā’s public spaces—especially markets—become inactive as grief and uncertainty spread after Rāma’s exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma as ‘tārā’ (a guiding star) by implication: his absence makes the city feel directionless and unsupported.