Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 18

अभिषेकोपवास-आदेशः

Coronation Preparations and the Fast Enjoined

Devanagari script

सिक्तसम्मृष्टरथ्या हि तदहर्वनमालिनी।आसीदयोध्यानगरी समुच्छ्रितगृहध्वजा।।।।

Transliteration

siktasammṛṣṭarathyā hi tadahar vanamālinī |

āsīd ayodhyānagarī samucchritagṛhadhvajā ||

Translation

તે દિવસે અયોધ્યા નગરીની રથ્યાઓ જળથી છાંટીને સારી રીતે સાફ કરાઈ હતી; ઉપવનમાળાથી શોભિત જેવી તે ઊંચે ઊંચે ઘરોના ધ્વજોથી સુશોભિત થઈ ઊભી હતી.

Word by Word

• sikta-sammṛṣṭa-rathyā: with streets sprinkled and swept
• sikta-sammṛṣṭa-rathyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sikta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + sammṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + rathyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; ‘whose streets were sprinkled and swept’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ayodhyā-nagarī)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/for)

• tad-ahaḥ: that day
• tad-ahaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ahar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘that day’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कालवाचक (temporal)

• vana-mālinī: adorned with gardens
• vana-mālinī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mālinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (‘garlanded with gardens/woods’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ayodhyā-nagarī)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ayodhyā-nagarī: the city of Ayodhyā
• ayodhyā-nagarī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (‘Ayodhyā-city’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• samucchrita-gṛha-dhvajā: with banners raised on houses
• samucchrita-gṛha-dhvajā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-śri (धातु) → samucchrita (कृदन्त) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; ‘whose house-banners were raised high’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ayodhyā-nagarī)

Context

Then all the people living in Ayodhya including women, children and aged alike wishing to see the coronation of Rama eagerly waited for the sunrise.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma includes śauca (purity/cleanliness) and public order: a righteous event is prepared for with outer cleanliness reflecting inner respect for truth and sanctity.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā is described as ceremonially prepared—cleaned streets, gardens, and flags—for the great upcoming occasion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The city’s collective discipline and reverence—civic virtue expressed through orderly, auspicious preparation.