Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 17

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Devanagari script

हा हतोऽस्मीति कृपणां दीनां वाचमुदीरयन्।निपपात महाबाहुर्बाहू विक्षिप्य वीर्यवान्।।2.72.17।।

Transliteration

vanaṃ ca samatītyāśu śarvaryām aruṇodaye ||2.72.17||

ayodhyāṃ manunā rājñā nirmitāṃ sandadarśa ha |

Translation

Ayant franchi promptement la forêt durant la nuit, au lever du soleil il aperçut Ayodhyā, la cité fondée par le roi Manu.

Word by Word

• हा: alas
• हा: वाक्यालङ्कार (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (exclamation)

• हतः: killed / ruined
• हतः: कर्ता (Predicate of 'अस्मि')
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: क्रिया (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यालङ्कार (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कृपणाम्: wretched / pitiable
• कृपणाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); qualifies 'वाचम्'

• दीनाम्: miserable
• दीनाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); qualifies 'वाचम्'

• वाचम्: speech / words
• वाचम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• उदीरयन्: uttering
• उदीरयन्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्- ईरय् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); qualifies subject

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि- पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); समास: महान् बाहुः यस्य (as epithet)

• बाहू: (both) arms
• बाहू: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (Dual), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• विक्षिप्य: having thrown up / having lifted
• विक्षिप्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि- क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), 'having flung/raised'

• वीर्यवान्: valiant
• वीर्यवान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

Context

He passed quickly through the forest at night and at sunrise beheld the city of Ayodhya built by king Manu.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Ayodhyā
• Manu
• Forest

FAQs

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

Dharma is respect for inherited order: Ayodhyā, founded by Manu, symbolizes lawful tradition, reminding that present action should align with established righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

After traveling through the night, Bharata reaches the outskirts and finally sees Ayodhyā at dawn.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to ancestral ideals—his return is framed against the city’s venerable, dharmic legacy.