Valmiki Ramayana 2.57.6: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57, Shloka 6

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

स शून्यामिव निश्शब्दां दृष्ट्वा परमदुर्मनाः।सुमन्त्रश्चिन्तयामास शोकवेगसमाहतः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.57.6

Transliteration

sa śūnyām iva niḥśabdāṁ dṛṣṭvā paramadurmanāḥ |

sumantraś cintayāmāsa śoka-vega-samāhataḥ ||

Translation

都がまるで空しく静まり返っているのを見て、スーマントラはひどく沈み、悲しみの奔流に打たれて不安な思索に沈んだ。

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Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शून्याम्: empty
• शून्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अयोध्याम्/पुरीम्)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (like/as if)

• निःशब्दाम्: silent
• निःशब्दाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्-धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• परम-दुर्मनाः: utterly dejected
• परम-दुर्मनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + durmanas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमं दुर्मनाः)

• सुमन्त्रः: Sumantra
• सुमन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चिन्तयामास: reflected / thought
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (चिन्त्-धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic Perfect/लिट्), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शोक-वेग-समाहतः: struck by a surge of grief
• शोक-वेग-समाहतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + vega + samāhata (सम्+आ+हन्-धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुष-समास (शोकवेगेन समाहतः)

Context

The charioteer reached Ayodhya on the third day at dusk and found the city cheerless.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma includes emotional integrity: grief is not denied or suppressed, yet one must still think clearly and act responsibly within sorrow.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra enters a strangely quiet Ayodhyā and realizes the depth of public mourning after Rāma’s departure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscientiousness and empathy: Sumantra is sensitive to the city’s suffering and reflects on what it means.