Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 22

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम्

Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Devanagari script

उद्यानानि हि सायाह्ने क्रीडित्वोपरतैर्नरैः।।2.71.22।।

समन्तात्परिधावद्भिः प्रकाशन्ते ममान्यथा।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.71.22

Transliteration

udyānāni hi sāyāhne krīḍitvoparatair naraiḥ || 2.71.22 ||

samantāt paridhāvadbhiḥ prakāśante mamānyathā |

Translation

En vérité, les jardins qui, au déclin du jour, brillaient jadis des allées et venues de ceux qui, après leurs jeux, s’y promenaient de toutes parts, me paraissent aujourd’hui tout autres, privés de leur vivacité familière.

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Word by Word

• udyānāni: parks/gardens
• udyānāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), causal/emphatic

• sāyāhne: in the evening
• sāyāhne: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyāhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; time circumstance (evening)

• krīḍitvā: having played/sported
• krīḍitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• uparataiḥ: having ceased (from play)/resting
• uparataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-ram (धातु) > uparata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; qualifying "naraiḥ"

• naraiḥ: by men/people
• naraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• samantāt: all around
• samantāt: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (place)

• paridhāvadbhiḥ: running about/strolling
• paridhāvadbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-dhāv (धातु) > paridhāvat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ); Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; qualifying "naraiḥ"

• prakāśante: shine/appear bright
• prakāśante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kāś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्) Present; 3rd person, Plural; Ātmanepada

• mama: to me/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• anyathā: otherwise/differently
• anyathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (manner)

Context

I do not see people who with passion used to stroll in the parks early in the morning. I see no cheerfulness in any one.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Sumantra

FAQs

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

Public spaces mirror the moral and emotional state of society. When righteousness and trust are shaken, even harmless recreation loses its light—suggesting dharma’s role in sustaining communal harmony.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama compares the gardens’ former brightness—full of strolling citizens—with their present altered, subdued appearance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s sensitivity and truthfulness (satya): he reports what he perceives without denial, acknowledging the city’s changed mood.