Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 14
भरद्वाजाश्रमे भरतसैन्यस्य दिव्यात्मिथ्यम् / Divine Hospitality to Bharata’s Army at Bharadvaja’s Hermitage
Setting: Hermitage region; the summons is pan-directional (all rivers, earth and sky)Places named: Pṛthivī, AntarikṣaHalt for hospitality; miraculous provisioning imminent
प्राक्स्रोतसश्च या नद्यः प्रत्यक्स्रोतस एव च ।
पृथिव्यामन्तरिक्षे च समायान्त्वद्य सर्वशः ॥१४॥
prāk-srotasaś ca yā nadyaḥ pratyak-srotasa eva ca |
pṛthivyām antarikṣe ca samāyāntv adya sarvaśaḥ ||14||
आज सब नदियाँ यहाँ आएँ। जो पूरब की तरफ बहती हैं, जो पश्चिम की तरफ बहती हैं। धरती पर हैं या आसमान में, सब यहाँ आ जाएँ।
Sandhi Notes
- प्राक्स्रोतसः+च → प्राक्स्रोतसश्च
- पृथिव्याम्+अन्तरिक्षे → पृथिव्यामन्तरिक्षे
- समायान्तु+अद्य → समायान्त्वद्य (u+a sandhi)
Let the rivers flowing towards the east, and the west, flowing on the earth and in the sky, flowing everywhere reach here and now.
The teaching
When hospitality is undertaken as dharma, even nature is envisioned as supplying abundance; the world becomes cooperative to righteous intent.
- Ethical theme
- Dharma supported by prakṛti (nature) / auspicious providence
Devotion and practice
Contemplation on abundance and flow: cultivate generosity and trust that right action draws supportive conditions.
- Mantra
- समायान्त्वद्य सर्वशः
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Cosmic, summoning, overflowing
Themes
- Dharma
- Atithi-dharma
- Abundance for righteous purpose
- Itihasa
nature’s cooperation with dharma; sarvataḥ-samāgama (gathering from all directions) as sign of cosmic assent
Waters as symbol of prāṇa and plenitude; the many streams converging mirrors multiplicity resolving into a single purposeful act (service).
Waters as primordial/ubiquitous principle in cosmogonic passages; also the notion of ‘antarikṣa’ as intermediate realm sustaining life.
- Bharata and Rivers
- Command-invocation to nature powers to assemble (commanding)
- Bharata and Bhudevi
- Cosmic domain addressed as source of rivers (reverent)
Vedic hymns to Āpaḥ (Waters) as life-giving and purifying (general allusion); Purāṇic motifs of celestial rivers and earthly rivers responding to divine will (general parallel)
Directional cosmology (east/west flow) and the sacrality of waters
Ayodhyākāṇḍa 2.91: nature’s miraculous participation in Bharadvāja’s hospitality scene
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Commanding
Swift, expansive delivery; rising intonation on directional contrasts (prāk/pratyak), broad cadence on ‘samāyāntv adya sarvaśaḥ’
FAQs
Dharma-driven generosity: nature’s abundance is summoned not for indulgence alone but to honor guests and uphold sacred hospitality.
As part of miraculous preparations, Bharadvāja calls rivers from all directions to supply what is needed.
Magnanimity—Bharadvāja seeks plentiful provisions to serve many (Bharata and the army).
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