Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.43-44: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shlokas 43-44
भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम् · Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya
देवायतनचैत्येषु दीनाः पक्षिगणास्तथा ॥४३॥
मलिनं चाश्रुपूर्णाक्षं दीनं ध्यानपरं कृशम् ।
सस्त्रीपुंसं च पश्यामि जनमुत्कण्ठितं पुरे ॥४४॥
devāyatanacaityeṣu dīnāḥ pakṣigaṇāstathā ||43||
malinaṃ cāśrupūrṇākṣaṃ dīnaṃ dhyānaparaṃ kṛśam |
sastrīpuṃsaṃ ca paśyāmi janamutkaṇṭhitaṃ pure ||44||
मंदिरों और पूजा के जगह पर पक्षी भी उदास लग रहे हैं। शहर के लोग, औरतें और मर्द दोनों, बहुत दुखी हैं। उनकी आँखों में आँसू हैं, दिमाग में सिर्फ दुख चल रहा है। शरीर कमज़ोर हो गया है, गला रुक रहा है दुख से।
I see groups of birds frequenting the temples. The sanctuaries appear dispirited. The people in the city, both men and women look dull, emaciated, pitiable with throats choked. Their eyes are filled with tears and minds absorbed in distressing thoughts.
FAQs
The verse powerfully illustrates how the absence of righteous leadership affects an entire kingdom. Ayodhya's grief reflects the cosmic principle that when Dharma is disrupted, through the exile of a righteous prince and the death of a noble king, the suffering extends to all beings, from the citizens to the birds at the temples. This interconnectedness of righteousness and well-being is a central theme of the Ramayana.
Bharata has returned to Ayodhya from Kekaya and is entering the city for the first time since learning of his father's death and Rama's exile. As he observes the profound grief that has engulfed the city, the weeping citizens, the abandoned temples, the dispirited birds, he speaks these words to his charioteer, expressing his anguish at what his mother's ambition has wrought.
The verse emphasizes Bharata's capacity for 'karuna' (compassion) and his deep connection to his people. His ability to perceive and be moved by the suffering of Ayodhya's citizens demonstrates that a true kshatriya leader bears the pain of his people as his own. This empathy, combined with his determination to restore righteousness, marks him as a noble soul.
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.
