Valmiki Ramayana 2.48.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 20

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

को न्वनेनाऽप्रतीतेन सोत्कण्ठितजनेन च।सम्प्रियेतामनोज्ञेन वासेन हृतचेतसा।।2.48.20।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.48.20

Transliteration

ko nv anenāpratītena sotkaṇṭhita-janena ca |

sampriyetāmanojñena vāsena hṛta-cetasā || 2.48.20 ||

Translation

En este lugar ya sin alegría, con la gente ahogada en congoja, y con una morada ingrata que roba el corazón, ¿quién, con la mente presa de aflicción, podría hallar placer en vivir aquí?

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nu: indeed / pray
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Interrogative/emphatic particle (निपात)

• anena: with this
• anena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsakaliṅga/puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana

• apratītena: displeasing
• apratītena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + pratīta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from prati + i/etym. 'to be pleasing' used adjectivally)
• Form: Kṛdanta adjective (कृदन्त-विशेषण), Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with vāsena (understood)

• sotkaṇṭhita-janena: with (a stay) having anxious people
• sotkaṇṭhita-janena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + utkaṇṭhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) = utkaṇṭhito jano yasmin (place/abode with anxious people); Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with vāsena (instrument)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sampriyeta: would be pleased
• sampriyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + prī (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• amanojñena: unpleasant
• amanojñena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + manojña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; Viśeṣaṇa of vāsena

• vāsena: by living / with a dwelling
• vāsena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• hṛta-cetasā: with mind carried away (distressed)
• hṛta-cetasā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, past passive participle from hṛ/हृ) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa = hṛtaṃ cetas yasya/with seized mind; here used as bahuvrīhi-like adjective in instrumental: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with kaḥ (agent experiencing)

Context

The people here are choked with grief. Who will like to stay here where life is disagreeable, cheerless, full of despondency and distress?

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya (implied)
• Citizens (jana)

FAQs

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

A community’s moral life depends on dharmic order and rightful governance; when that order is disturbed, even one’s homeland can feel unfit to inhabit.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma’s departure, Ayodhya’s people describe the city as cheerless and psychologically unlivable due to collective grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, Rāma’s dharmic presence—his absence makes the city feel devoid of joy and stability.