Valmiki Ramayana 2.110.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 110, Shloka 7
लोकसमुत्पत्ति-वर्णनम् तथा इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रशंसा
Cosmogony and Ikshvaku Genealogy as Counsel to Rama
Spoken by Vasistha to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā
यस्येयं प्रथमं दत्ता समृद्धा मनुना मही ।
तमिक्ष्वाकुमयोध्यायां राजानं विद्धि पूर्वकम् ॥७॥
yasyeyaṃ prathamaṃ dattā samṛddhā manunā mahī |
tam ikṣvākum ayodhyāyāṃ rājānaṃ viddhi pūrvakam ||7||
मनु ने सबसे पहले इस धरती को इक्ष्वाकु को दिया था। यह धरती खुशहाली से भरी थी। अयोध्या में जो सबसे पहले राजा हुए, वो इक्ष्वाकु थे।
Sandhi Notes
- यस्येयं = यस्य इयम्
- तमिक्ष्वाकुमयोध्यायां = तम् इक्ष्वाकुम् अयोध्यायाम्
Manu had orginally bestowed the most prosperous earth on Ikshvaku and you know Ikshvaku was the first king of Ayodhya.
The teaching
Earthly sovereignty is legitimized as a dharmic trust received through rightful lineage and meant for protection and prosperity of subjects.
- Ethical theme
- Rājadharma / legitimacy
For your practice
Contemplation on stewardship: treat resources and authority as entrusted, not possessed; cultivate humility before tradition and dharma.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)
- Mood
- Genealogical, reverent, foundational
Themes
- Itihasa
- Kingship
- Dharma
- Satya
- Royal Lineage
Bhūmi as not-owned but entrusted (īśāvāsyatā); kingship as stewardship rather than possession.
Īśā Upaniṣad 1: "īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvam"—the earth as pervaded/owned by the Lord, humans as trustees.
- Manu and Ikshvaku
- Sovereign-bestower to dynastic founder (kṣetra-dāna/rajya-pravartana) (reverential)
- Ikshvaku and Ayodhya
- King-to-capital (rājadhānī-āśraya) (protective)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.70 (Ikṣvāku lineage context in Sītā-svayaṃvara narrative); Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.5–1.6 (Ayodhyā and Ikṣvāku dynasty framing)
Manu-smṛti (Manu as lawgiver and primordial king); Purāṇic Ikṣvāku-vaṃśa genealogies (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa)
Ayodhyākāṇḍa 2.110 (genealogical prelude to dharma-instruction)
Anuṣṭup
Narrative
Madhyama-gati, udātta-prāya on dynastic names
FAQs
Dharma of kingship: sovereignty is depicted as a trust bestowed, implying the king’s duty to protect and make the land flourish rather than treat it as private possession.
The speaker identifies Ikṣvāku as Ayodhyā’s first king, anchoring the legitimacy and antiquity of Rāma’s dynasty.
Legitimate stewardship—rule grounded in rightful succession and responsibility to prosperity.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
