Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 8

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

त्यक्तां यज्ञायुधैः सर्वैरभिरूपैश्च याजकैः। सुत्याकाले सुनिर्वृत्ते वेदिं गतरवामिव।।2.114.8।।

Transliteration

tyaktāṃ yajñāyudhaiḥ sarvair abhirūpaiś ca yājakaiḥ | sutyākāle sunirvṛtte vediṃ gataravām iva || 2.114.8 ||

Translation

C’était comme un autel (vedī) délaissé lorsque le temps du pressurage du soma est pleinement achevé : laissé avec tous les instruments du yajña et les prêtres savants, et dont les sons se sont tus.

Word by Word

• त्यक्ताम्: abandoned
• त्यक्ताम्: Karma-anvayi Visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘त्यक्त’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यज्ञ-आयुधैः: with sacrificial implements
• यज्ञ-आयुधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘यज्ञस्य आयुधानि’ = sacrificial implements

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: Karana-anvayi Visheshana (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘यज्ञायुधैः’

• अभिरूपैः: excellent/learned
• अभिरूपैः: Karana-anvayi Visheshana (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; agrees with ‘याजकैः’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• याजकैः: by priests
• याजकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सुत्या-काले: at the Soma-pressing time
• सुत्या-काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘सुत्यायाः कालः’—time of Soma-pressing

• सु-निर्वृत्ते: when it had completely ended
• सु-निर्वृत्ते: Adhikarana-anvayi Visheshana (अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + नि-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP ‘निर्वृत्त’; सप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; agrees with ‘काले’; ‘when it had fully ended’

• वेदिम्: altar
• वेदिम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गत-रवाम्: with sound ceased
• गत-रवाम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गतो रवः यस्याः सा’—whose sound has ceased

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

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• vedi (altar)
• yājaka (priests)

FAQs

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

Ritual (yajña) is meaningful when animated by right purpose and right persons; when the sustaining centre is gone, forms remain but life departs. Dharma is portrayed as living order, not empty ceremony.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā is compared to a ritual ground after completion—implements and priests remain, yet the vibrant activity has ended—mirroring the city’s hush after Rāma’s exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes the sanctifying presence of the righteous: the city’s ‘yajña-like’ life depends on dhārmic leadership and harmony.