Shloka 1.6.17

अयोध्यावर्णनम् — Description of Ayodhya under Daśaratha

Devanagari script

वर्णेष्वग्र्यचतुर्थेषु देवतातिथिपूजका:।कृतज्ञाश्च वदान्याश्च शूरा विक्रमसंयुता: ।।1.6.17।। दीर्घायुषो नरास्सर्वे धर्मं सत्यं च संश्रिता: ।सहिता: पुत्रपौत्रैश्च नित्यं स्त्रीभि: पुरोत्तमे ।।1.6.18।।

Transliteration

varṇeṣv agryacaturtheṣu devatātithipūjakāḥ |

kṛtajñāś ca vadānyāś ca śūrā vikramasaṁyutāḥ ||1.6.17||

Translation

Foremost among the four varṇas, they worshipped the gods and honored their guests; grateful and generous, they were heroic and endowed with valor.

Context

There in Ayodhya the best of cities, the first of the four castes (brahmins) used to worship gods and guests. They had the sense of gratitude. They were munificient, heroic and possessed prowess. They lived long. They were righteous and truthful. And they lived together with their sons, grandsons and wives.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Devatāḥ
• Atithi

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma and devatā-pūjā: honoring guests and the sacred, combined with gratitude and generosity, forms the moral culture of the city.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator lists the virtues prevalent among the leading social groups in Ayodhyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṛtajñatā (gratitude) and vadānyatā (munificence), supported by courage.