Valmiki Ramayana 2.48.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 9

अयोध्यायाः शोकवर्णनम्

Ayodhya’s Lament and Civic Desolation

Devanagari script

आपगाः कृतपुण्यास्ता पद्मिन्यश्च सरांसि च।येषु स्नास्यति काकुत्स्थो विगाह्य सलिलं शुचि।।2.48.9।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.48.9

Transliteration

āpagāḥ kṛtapuṇyās tāḥ padminyaś ca sarāṃsi ca |

yeṣu snāsyati kākutstho vigāhya salilaṃ śuci ||2.48.9||

Translation

Bienheureux sont ces fleuves, ces étangs de lotus et ces lacs, qui ont dû acquérir du mérite ; car c’est dans leurs eaux pures que Kakutstha (Rāma) entrera pour s’y baigner.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• āpagāḥ: rivers
• āpagāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpagā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• kṛtapuṇyāḥ: made meritorious; blessed
• kṛtapuṇyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta-puṇya (प्रातिपदिक; kṛta + puṇya)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying āpagāḥ/padminyaḥ/sarāṃsi (collectively)

• tāḥ: those
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; demonstrative

• padminyaḥ: lotus-filled ponds
• padminyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sarāṃsi: lakes
• sarāṃsi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• yeṣu: in which
• yeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; relative pronoun referring to waters/rivers etc.

• snāsyati: will bathe
• snāsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• kākutsthaḥ: Kākutstha (Rama)
• kākutsthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vigāhya: having plunged into
• vigāhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-√gāh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् अव्यय), 'having entered/plunged into'

• salilam: water
• salilam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• śuci: pure
• śuci: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifying salilam

Context

The rivers and the lotus-pools have done some meritorious acts in the past as a result of which Rama having plunged into their holy waters will make his ablution.

Characters & Entities

• Kākutstha (Rāma)
• padminī (lotus-ponds)

FAQs

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

The verse reflects the dhārmic idea that contact with a supremely righteous person sanctifies the world; nature itself is seen as ‘meritorious’ for receiving Rāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā’s mourners imagine Rāma’s forest journey and praise the waters that will be graced by his bathing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s purity and sanctifying presence are emphasized—his conduct makes even ordinary waters ‘holy’ in the eyes of devotees.