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Shloka 3

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

पताकाभिर्वरार्हाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलङ्कृताम्।वृतां छन्दपथैश्चापि शिरस्स्नातजनैर्वृताम्।।।।माल्यमोदकहस्तैश्च द्विजेन्द्रैरभिनादिताम्।शुक्लदेवगृहद्वारां सर्ववादित्रनिस्वनाम्।।।।सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णां ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादिताम्।प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वां सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्।।।।प्रहृष्टमुदितैः पौरैरुच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्।अयोध्यां मन्थरा दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागता।।।।

Transliteration

patākābhir varārhābhir dhvajaiś ca samalaṅkṛtām |

vṛtāṃ chandapathaiś cāpi śirassnātajanair vṛtām || 2.7.3 ||

mālyamodakahastaiś ca dvijendrair abhināditām |

śukladevagṛhadvārāṃ sarvavāditranisvanām || 2.7.4 ||

samprahṛṣṭajanākīrṇāṃ brahmaghoṣābhināditām |

prahṛṣṭavarahastyaśvāṃ sampraṇarditagovṛṣām || 2.7.5 ||

prahṛṣṭamuditaiḥ paurair ucchritadhvajamālinīm |

ayodhyāṃ mantharā dṛṣṭvā paraṃ vismayam āgatā || 2.7.6 ||

Translation

Mantharā contempló Ayodhyā, engalanada con costosos estandartes y banderas; colmada de calles sinuosas y atestada de gentes recién bañadas. Resonaba con cánticos védicos de eminentes brāhmaṇas que llevaban guirnaldas y dulces, y con el clamor de toda clase de instrumentos. Multitudes jubilosas llenaban las vías; excelentes elefantes y caballos se mostraban briosos; vacas y toros hacían oír sus mugidos y bramidos. Los ciudadanos, exultantes, alzaban en lo alto guirnaldas de pendones por la ciudad; al ver todo aquello, Mantharā quedó sobrecogida de profundo asombro.

Word by Word
पताकाभिःwith banners
पताकाभिः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपताका (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
वरार्हाभिःcostly
वरार्हाभिः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवर-अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वरं अर्हन्ति ‘very valuable/costly’ (qualifies पताकाभिः)
ध्वजैःwith flags
ध्वजैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction): ‘and’
समलङ्कृताम्well-decorated
समलङ्कृताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-अलङ्कृ (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘well-decorated’ (qualifies अयोध्याम्)
वृताम्surrounded
वृताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवृ (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘surrounded/covered’ (qualifies अयोध्याम्)
छन्दपथैःby winding streets
छन्दपथैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootछन्द-पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: छन्देन (यथेष्टम्/वक्रतया) पथाः ‘winding/maze-like streets’
चand
च:
Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle): ‘also’
शिरःस्नातजनैःby people who had bathed (their heads)
शिरःस्नातजनैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशिरः-स्नात-जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: शिरसि स्नाताः जनाः ‘people with bathed heads’
वृताम्surrounded
वृताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवृ (धातु)
Formक्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-विशेषण
माल्यमोदकहस्तैःby (those) holding garlands and sweets
माल्यमोदकहस्तैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमाल्य-मोदक-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: माल्यं च मोदकं च हस्ते येषाम् ‘with hands holding garlands and sweets’
चand
च:
Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
द्विजेन्द्रैःby the best brahmins
द्विजेन्द्रैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: द्विजानाम् इन्द्राः ‘best of brahmins’
अभिनादिताम्resounding
अभिनादिताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअभि-नद् (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘made to resound’ (qualifies अयोध्याम्)
शुक्लदेवगृहद्वाराम्with white temple doorways
शुक्लदेवगृहद्वाराम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुक्ल-देवगृह-द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: शुक्लानि देवगृहद्वाराणि यस्याः ‘having white temple-doorways’
सर्ववादित्रनिस्वनाम्with sounds of all instruments
सर्ववादित्रनिस्वनाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व-वादित्र-निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: सर्वेषां वादित्राणां निस्वनः यस्याः ‘with sounds of all instruments’
सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णाम्filled with joyful crowds
सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्प्रहृष्ट-जन-आकीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: सम्प्रहृष्टैः जनैः आकीर्णा ‘filled with delighted people’
ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादिताम्echoed with Vedic chanting
ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादिताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootब्रह्म-घोष-अभिनादित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ब्रह्मघोषेण अभिनादिता ‘echoed with Vedic chants’
प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वाम्with excellent excited elephants and horses
प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रहृष्ट-वर-हस्ति-अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः: हस्तिनः च अश्वाः च; ‘having excellent, excited elephants and horses’
सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्resounding with cows and bulls
सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्प्रणर्दित-गो-वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: गोवृषैः सम्प्रणर्दिता ‘resounding with lowing of cows and bulls’
प्रहृष्टमुदितैःby delighted and joyful (people)
प्रहृष्टमुदितैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रहृष्ट-मुदित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः: प्रहृष्टैः च मुदितैः च ‘by delighted and joyful (people)’
पौरैःby citizens
पौरैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपौर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
उच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्adorned with raised flags
उच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउच्छ्रित-ध्वज-मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: उच्छ्रिताः ध्वजाः माला इव यस्याः ‘garlanded with raised flags’
अयोध्याम्Ayodhyā
अयोध्याम्:
Karma (कर्म) (object of दृष्ट्वा)
TypeNoun
Rootअयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
मन्थराMantharā
मन्थरा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमन्थरा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदृश् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund): ‘having seen’
परम्greatly
परम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (accusative used adverbially): ‘exceedingly/very’
विस्मयम्astonishment
विस्मयम्:
Karma (कर्म) (object of आगता in sense ‘attained’)
TypeNoun
Rootविस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आगताcame to, attained
आगता:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-गम् (धातु)
Formक्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘came/attained’ (predicate of मन्थरा)
Context

The city of Ayodhya was decorated with costly banners and pennants. The labyrinthine roads were crowded with people who had (finished) their head-bath and were wandering at will. The temples with their doors painted white were reverberating with the chanting from the Vedas by the best of brahmins holding garlands and sweetmeats in their hands and with sounds of all kinds of musical instruments. The city was filled with spirited horses and elephants. The bulls werebellowing and the cows were lowing. The citizens with great joy raised the penants encircling the city of Ayodhya. All this left Manthara astonished.

Characters & Entities
M
Mantharā
A
Ayodhyā
B
brāhmaṇas (dvijendra)
C
citizens (paura)
E
elephants
H
horses
C
cows
B
bulls
B
banners/flags (patākā, dhvaja)

FAQs

Dharma is reflected as social and ritual order: citizens observe purification (head-bath), brāhmaṇas uphold sacred recitation, and the city collectively celebrates a righteous royal transition—public joy anchored in religious propriety.

Ayodhyā is in festive preparation for the royal consecration (abhiṣeka) atmosphere; Mantharā witnesses the city’s auspicious celebration and is astonished, setting the stage for her reaction and later counsel to Kaikeyī.

Collective civic virtue: the citizens’ harmony, devotion, and disciplined celebration—showing loyalty to the kingdom’s dhārmic order.

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