Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 15

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

वातायनगतानां च स्त्रीणामन्वन्तरापणम्।रामशोकाभितप्तानां शुश्राव परिदेवनम्।।।।

Transliteration

vātāyana-gatānāṃ ca strīṇām anv-antarāpaṇam | rāma-śokābhitaptānāṃ śuśrāva paridevanam ||

Translation

Oyó los lamentos—de las mujeres en las ventanas y de los que estaban en las calles del mercado—abrasados por el dolor por Rāma.

Word by Word

• वातायन-गतानाम्: of (women) at the windows
• वातायन-गतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vātāyana (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from √gam)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी 6), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (सप्तमी/अधिकरण-तत्पुरुषः) ‘वातायने गताः’ = gone to/at the windows; qualifies स्त्रीणाम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• अन्वन्तर-आपणम्: the inner market-stalls
• अन्वन्तर-आपणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; heard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anu-antara (प्रातिपदिक) + āpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया 2), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘अन्वन्तरस्य आपणः’ = inner/adjacent market-stall; used as locus/scene-object heard about

• राम-शोक-अभितप्तानाम्: of those afflicted by grief for Rama
• राम-शोक-अभितप्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + abhitapta (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from abhi√tap)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural; multi-member तत्पुरुषः: ‘रामस्य शोकः’ (षष्ठी) + ‘शोकेन अभितप्ताः’ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/semantic) = afflicted by sorrow for Rama; qualifies स्त्रीणाम्

• शुश्राव: heard
• शुश्राव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परिदेवनम्: lamentation
• परिदेवनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paridevana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Context

(He) heard wailings of women looking through the window and of the people in market-places burning with sorrow over Rama's exile.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma’s emotional ecology: the exile of the righteous causes widespread social pain, revealing how moral leadership nurtures collective security and hope.

What is the narrative situation?

As the escort returns, the narration depicts Ayodhyā’s pervasive mourning—heard from homes and marketplaces alike.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s belovedness rooted in virtue: the intensity of grief indicates trust in his integrity and protective care.