Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 2

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

बिडालोलूकचरितामालीननरवारणाम्। तिमिराभ्याहतां कालीमप्रकाशां निशामिव।।2.114.2।।

Transliteration

biḍālōlūkacaritām ālīnanaravāraṇām | timirābhyāhatāṃ kālīm aprakāśāṃ niśām iva || 2.114.2 ||

Translation

On eût dit la nuit elle-même : noire, sans clarté, étouffée de ténèbres ; les chats et les hiboux y rôdaient, et l’on n’y voyait plus ni hommes ni éléphants.

Word by Word

• बिडाल-उलूक-चरिताम्: frequented by cats and owls
• बिडाल-उलूक-चरिताम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिडाल (प्रातिपदिक) + उलूक (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (बहु-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः) ‘बिडालैः उलूकैश्च चरिता’—frequented by cats and owls; qualifies implied ‘अयोध्याम्/पुरीम्’

• आलीन-नर-वारणाम्: with people and elephants out of sight
• आलीन-नर-वारणाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आलीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + नर (प्रातिपदिक) + वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—‘आलीनाः (अदृश्य/निलीनाः) नराश्च वारणाश्च यस्याम्’ (sense: people and elephants not seen)

• तिमिर-अभ्याहताम्: enveloped by darkness
• तिमिर-अभ्याहताम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्याहत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तिमिरेण अभ्याहता’—struck/overwhelmed by darkness

• कालीम्: black
• कालीम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अप्रकाशाम्: without light
• अप्रकाशाम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष/negated adjective

• निशाम्: night
• निशाम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक (particle of comparison)

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

The verse indirectly highlights the social dimension of dharma: when righteous order is disturbed (through the unjust exile of Rama), the city’s harmony and safety diminish, symbolized by darkness and nocturnal creatures.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata is approaching/observing Ayodhya after Rama’s exile; the narrator describes the city’s eerie, deserted atmosphere.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s sensitivity and moral alarm are implied: he recognizes that a visible change in the city reflects an underlying ethical crisis.