Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 9

अयोध्यानगरवर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya and the Ikshvaku Royal Setting

Devanagari script

तां तु राजा दशरथो महाराष्ट्रविवर्धन: ।पुरीमावासयामास दिवं देवपतिर्यथा ।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ tu rājā daśaratho mahārāṣṭra-vivardhanaḥ | purīm āvāsayāmāsa divaṃ deva-patir yathā ||

Translation

Dans cette cité demeura le roi Daśaratha, qui faisait croître la prospérité de son vaste royaume, tel le seigneur des dieux demeurant au ciel.

Word by Word

• tām: that (city)
• tām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; (purīm refers)

• tu: indeed / but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध-निपात (particle: “but/indeed”)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• daśarathaḥ: Daśaratha
• daśarathaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण to rājā

• mahā-rāṣṭra-vivardhanaḥ: promoter of the great kingdom
• mahā-rāṣṭra-vivardhanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of rājā/daśarathaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक) + vivardhana (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; vi-√vṛdh/वृध् “to increase” + ल्युट्/अन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (“he whose (great) kingdom he increases” → “promoter of the great realm”)

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āvāsayāmāsa: made (it) his abode / inhabited
• āvāsayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vas (वस् धातु “to dwell”) + णिच् (causative) + लिट्
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) अर्थ: “to cause to dwell / to inhabit”

• divam: heaven
• divam: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (दिव्/द्यौस्-सम्बद्ध प्रातिपदिक; here divam = svarga)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग (traditional: divam as accusative), द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

• deva-patiḥ: lord of the gods (Indra)
• deva-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—of implied verb in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (“of gods” + “lord” = Indra)

• yathā: as / like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle “as/like”)

Context

King Dasartha, augmenting the prosperity of the great kingdom, lived in the city of Ayodhya like Indra in heaven.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā
• Indra (Deva-pati)
• Svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

The king’s dharma is to increase the welfare of the realm; Daśaratha is praised not merely for power but for prosperity-promoting rule.

What is the narrative situation?

After describing Ayodhyā, the narration introduces Daśaratha as its ruler and characterizes his reign.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rājadharma—protective, prosperity-enhancing kingship aligned with order and public good.