Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 7

अयोध्यानगरवर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya and the Ikshvaku Royal Setting

Devanagari script

आयता दश च द्वे च योजनानि महापुरी ।श्रीमती त्रीणि विस्तीर्णा सुविभक्तमहापथा ।।।।

Transliteration

āyatā daśa ca dve ca yojanāni mahāpurī | śrīmatī trīṇi vistīrṇā su-vibhakta-mahāpathā ||

Translation

Cette grande cité mesurait douze yojanas de longueur et trois yojanas de largeur : splendide, avec de vastes voies harmonieusement réparties.

Word by Word

• āyatā: extended (in length)
• āyatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mahāpurī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (mahāpurī understood as subject) “long/extended”

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of yojanāni)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-बहुवचनार्थे (numeral used for counting)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction “and”)

• dve: two
• dve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of yojanāni; with daśa = “twelve”)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (द्वि संख्याशब्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral “two”)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• yojanāni: yojanas
• yojanāni: Karma (कर्म/Extent—measure complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• mahā-purī: the great city
• mahā-purī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (“great” + “city”)

• śrī-matī: splendid / prosperous
• śrī-matī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mahāpurī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + -mat (मत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्/मत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective: “having splendour/fortune”)

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of yojanāni understood: breadth)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (त्रि संख्याशब्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• vistīrṇā: broad / extended (in breadth)
• vistīrṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mahāpurī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vistīrṇa (कृदन्त; √stṛ/स्तृ “to spread” + vi- + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle: “spread out/broad”)

• su-vibhakta-mahā-pathā: having well-laid great roads
• su-vibhakta-mahā-pathā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of mahāpurī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्गवत्) + vibhakta (कृदन्त; √bhaj/भज् “to divide/arrange” + vi- + क्त) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (“whose great roads are well-laid-out/well-arranged”); अन्त्यपद pathā (patha + ā feminine)

Context

With well-laid out thoroughfares, the beautiful and prosperous city of Ayodhya extended for twelve yojanas in length and three yojanas in breadth.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Orderliness and proper arrangement symbolize dharma at the civic level: a well-planned city mirrors a well-ordered society.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator provides measurements and urban features to portray Ayodhyā’s grandeur and organization.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective discipline and order (maryādā) rather than an individual virtue—society structured for harmonious living.