Valmiki Ramayana 2.47.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 47, Shloka 8

अयोध्यायाः पौरविलापः

Lament of the Citizens of Ayodhya on Rama’s Absence

Devanagari script

सन्ति शुष्काणि काष्ठानि प्रभूतानि महान्ति च।तैः प्रज्वाल्य चितां सर्वे प्रविशामोऽथ पावकम्।।।।

Transliteration

santi śuṣkāṇi kāṣṭhāni prabhūtāni mahānti ca | taiḥ prajvālya citāṃ sarve praviśāmo ’tha pāvakam ||

Translation

Il y a quantité de grands bois secs ; avec eux nous allumerons le bûcher funéraire, puis nous entrerons tous dans le feu.

Word by Word

• santi: there are
• santi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• śuṣkāṇi: dry
• śuṣkāṇi: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣka (शुष्क प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; काष्ठानि इति विशेषणम्

• kāṣṭhāni: logs/wood
• kāṣṭhāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭha (काष्ठ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• prabhūtāni: plentiful
• prabhūtāni: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhūta (प्रभूत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; काष्ठानि इति विशेषणम्

• mahānti: large
• mahānti: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (महत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; काष्ठानि इति विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• taiḥ: with those
• taiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (with those)

• prajvālya: having kindled
• prajvālya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-jval (प्र-ज्वल् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having kindled)

• citām: pyre
• citām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citā (चिता प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• sarve: all (of us)
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• praviśāmaḥ: we shall enter
• praviśāmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (प्र-विश् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present with future-intent), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/विकल्पार्थक निपातः (then/now)

• pāvakam: fire
• pāvakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (पावक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Context

How could he, the best among the kings of Raghu dynasty, who used to protect us as a father protects his own children, go to the forest, abandoning us?

Characters & Entities

• Fire (pāvaka)
• Rāma (implied cause of despair)

FAQs

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

As a dharma-lesson, it shows grief can overwhelm discernment; ethical steadiness requires restraint even amid loss.

What is the narrative situation?

Citizens, driven to desperation by separation from Rāma, speak of building a pyre and ending their lives.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, Rāma’s worth to the community is emphasized—his absence triggers extreme, uncontrolled sorrow.