Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.33-35: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shlokas 33-35

भरद्वाजाश्रमे भरतसैन्यस्य दिव्यात्मिथ्यम् / Divine Hospitality to Bharata’s Army at Bharadvaja’s Hermitage

Setting: a manifested royal residence complexArrival into fully furnished, provisioned lodging

Devanagari script

सितमेघनिभं चापि राजवेश्म सुतोरणम् ।

दिव्यमाल्यकृताकारं दिव्यगन्धसमुक्षितम् ॥३३॥

चतुरश्रमसंबाधं शयनासनयानवत् ।

दिव्यैस्सर्वरसैर्युक्तं दिव्यभोजनवस्त्रवत् ॥३४॥

उपकल्पितसर्वान्नं धौतनिर्मलभाजनम् ।

क्लुप्तसर्वासनं श्रीमत्स्वास्तीर्णशयनोत्तमम् ॥३५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.91.33-35

Transliteration

sitamēghanibhaṃ cāpi rājavēśma sutōraṇam |

divyamālyakṛtākāraṃ divyagandhasamukṣitam ||33||

caturaśram asaṃbādhaṃ śayanāsanayānavat |

divyaiḥ sarvarasair yuktaṃ divyabhōjanavastravat ||34||

upakalpitasarvānnaṃ dhautanirmalabhājanam |

kluptasarvāsanaṃ śrīmat svāstīrṇaśayanottamam ||35||

Translation

राजा का एक महल भी बन गया। सफेद बादल जैसा चमकता था। फूलों की माला से सजा था। खुशबू भी थी। अंदर बिस्तर, कुर्सी और गाड़ियाँ सब थी। खाने-पीने की चीज़ें भी रखी थीं। बर्तन साफ थे। बिस्तर भी बिछा हुआ था। सब कुछ रेडी था।

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Word by Word

• सितमेघनिभम्: like a white cloud
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित-मेघ-निभ (प्रातिपदिक; सित + मेघ + निभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of राजवेश्म); तत्पुरुषसमास (सितमेघ इव निभम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)

• राजवेश्म: royal palace
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज-वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; राजन् + वेश्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (राज्ञः वेश्म)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सुतोरणम्: having fine archways
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-तोरण (प्रातिपदिक; सु + तोरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of राजवेश्म); कर्मधारय (सुन्दरं तोरणं यस्य तत्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• दिव्यमाल्यकृताकारम्: shaped/adorned with divine garlands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य-माल्य-कृत-आकार (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + माल्य + कृत + आकार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle) + आकार; तत्पुरुषसमास (दिव्यैः माल्यैः कृतः आकारः यस्य)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• दिव्यगन्धसमुक्षितम्: sprinkled with celestial perfumes
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य-गन्ध-समुक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + गन्ध + समुक्षित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: समुक्षित (उक्ष्-धातु, सम्-उपसर्ग, क्त-प्रत्यय; 'sprinkled'); तत्पुरुषसमास (दिव्यगन्धैः समुक्षितम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• चतुरश्रमसंबाधम्: quadrangular and spacious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरश्र-असंबाध (प्रातिपदिक; चतुरश्र + असंबाध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of राजवेश्म); कर्मधारय (चतुरश्रं च असंबाधं च)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• शयनासनयानवत्: furnished with beds, seats, and vehicles
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शयन-आसन-यान-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; शयन + आसन + यान + वत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; द्वन्द्वसमास (शयनानि च आसनानि च यानानि च) + वत् (possessive suffix: 'having')
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Dvandva

• दिव्यैः: with divine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of सर्वरसैः)
• Role: Karana (करण/Instrument)

• सर्वरसैः: with all kinds of drinks/juices
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-रस (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + रस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (सर्वे रसाः)
• Role: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• युक्तम्: provided; furnished
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle): 'provided/arranged'
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)

• दिव्यभोजनवस्त्रवत्: having heavenly food and garments
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य-भोजन-वस्त्र-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + भोजन + वस्त्र + वत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; द्वन्द्वसमास (भोजनं च वस्त्रं च) + वत् (having)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Dvandva

• उपकल्पितसर्वान्नम्: stocked with all kinds of food
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-कल्प् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → उपकल्पित + सर्व-अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: उपकल्पित (past passive participle) + तत्पुरुषसमास (सर्वं अन्नं यस्मिन् उपकल्पितम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• धौतनिर्मलभाजनम्: with clean, washed vessels
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धौत-निर्मल-भाजन (प्रातिपदिक; धौत + निर्मल + भाजन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: धौत (धाव्/धौ-धातु, क्त) + कर्मधारय (धौतं च निर्मलं च भाजनम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• क्लुप्तसर्वासनम्: with all seats arranged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लृप् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → क्लुप्त + सर्व-आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: क्लुप्त (arranged) + तत्पुरुषसमास (सर्वाणि आसनानि यस्मिन् क्लुप्तानि)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• श्रीमत्: splendid; auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of राजवेश्म)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)

• स्वास्तीर्णशयनोत्तमम्: having excellent beds well spread
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-आस्तीर्ण-शयन-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; सु + आस्तीर्ण + शयन + उत्तम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम्: आस्तीर्ण (स्तृ-धातु, आ-उपसर्ग, क्त; 'spread/covered') with सु-; तत्पुरुषसमास (सु-आस्तीर्णं शयनं, तस्य उत्तमम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• चापि = च + अपि
• दिव्यैस्सर्वरसैः = दिव्यैः + सर्वरसैः (विसर्गसन्धिः: ः + स → स् + स)
• (IAST 'saṅbādhaṅ' corresponds to असंबाधं in Devanagari tradition here)

Context

An auspicious royal palace with splendid archs resembling white clouds sprang up. It was sprinkled with celestial perfumes and adorned with beautiful garlands. That royal palace forming a quadrangle was furnished with couches, seats and carriages and furnished with celestial drinks of every kind, delicious food and splendid garments. It was stocked with food of every variety in clean and spotless vessels. Seats for every one and magnificent couches covered with excellent bedstead were arranged.

The teaching

Prosperity itself is not bondage; attachment is. Receive gifts as prasāda, remain inwardly free.

Duties in tension

• Austerity appropriate to exile (vanavāsa/niyama) vs acceptance of luxurious comfort offered by providence/hosts
• Non-attachment (vairāgya) vs enjoyment (bhoga)

Ethical theme

Vairāgya-with-gṛhastha/rājadharma balance

How it resolves

Middle-path: accept what comes without clinging; use comfort in service of dharma

For your practice

Practice of prasāda-buddhi: seeing comforts and hardships as offerings; supports equanimity and gratitude.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Opulent, fragrant, celestial

Themes

• Dharma
• Atithi-dharma
• Itihasa
• Maryada
• Auspiciousness
• Royal ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Gateways (toraṇa)

FAQs

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

Righteous hospitality (atithi-dharma) expressed as thoughtful provision: comfort, nourishment, cleanliness, and dignity are ensured for guests and their community.

What is the narrative situation?

Miraculous royal accommodations manifest for Bharata and his followers, described in detail—architecture, fragrance, furnishings, food, and orderly seating.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity guided by propriety (maryādā): abundance is not mere luxury but a disciplined, respectful hosting of others.