Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 13

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

सम्मूढनिगमांस्तब्धां संक्षिप्तविपणापणाम्। प्रच्छन्नशशिनक्षत्रां द्यामिवाम्बुधरैर्वृताम्।।2.114.13।।

Transliteration

sammūḍha-nigamāṃ stabdhāṃ saṅkṣipta-vipaṇāpaṇām | pracchanna-śaśi-nakṣatrāṃ dyām ivāmbudharair vṛtām ||

Translation

વેપારીઓ ગૂંચવાયેલા, નગર સ્તબ્ધ, બજારો અને દુકાનો સંકોચાઈ બંધ—અયોધ્યા વાદળોથી ઢંકાયેલા આકાશ જેવી લાગી, જ્યાં ચંદ્ર અને તારાઓ છુપાઈ જાય છે.

Word by Word

• सम्मूढनिगमाम्: with merchants bewildered
• सम्मूढनिगमाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्मूढ + निगम (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सम्मूढाः निगमा यस्याम्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with merchants bewildered’

• स्तब्धाम्: stilled
• स्तब्धाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘stilled, motionless’

• संक्षिप्तविपणापणाम्: with markets and shops closed
• संक्षिप्तविपणापणाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्षिप्त + विपणि + आपण (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; संक्षिप्त (क्त, ‘closed/contracted’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with shops and markets shut’

• प्रच्छन्नशशिनक्षत्राम्: with moon and stars hidden
• प्रच्छन्नशशिनक्षत्राम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छन्न + शशि + नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; प्रच्छन्न (क्त, ‘covered/hidden’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with moon and stars obscured’

• द्याम्: the sky
• द्याम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यु/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा-सूचक)

• अम्बुधरैः: by clouds
• अम्बुधरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/instrumental), बहुवचन

• वृताम्: covered
• वृताम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘covered’

Context

Ayodhya with its markets and shops closed, and its merchants in a daze looked like the sky covered with clouds obscuring the Moon and stars.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

A dharmic kingdom supports social confidence and orderly livelihood; when righteousness is shaken by injustice and sorrow, even everyday economic life becomes paralyzed.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata finds Ayodhyā muted and unsettled; the narrator depicts civic shutdown through the clouded-sky comparison.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is rajadharma—rulers must preserve public stability so that fear and confusion do not ‘cover’ society like clouds.