Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 32

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm

Devanagari script

ये हि सम्भिन्नमर्यादा नास्तिकाश्छिन्नसंशयाः।तेऽपि भावाय कल्पन्ते राजदण्डनिपीडिताः।।।।

Transliteration

ye hi sambhinnamaryādā nāstikāś chinnasaṃśayāḥ |

te 'pi bhāvāya kalpante rājadaṇḍanipīḍitāḥ || 2.67.32 ||

Translation

道徳の境を破り、信を否み、ためらいを断ち切った者たちでさえ、王の刑罰に迫られれば、正しい行いへと整えられる。

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), emphatic/causal particle

• सम्भिन्न-मर्यादाः: those with broken bounds (of propriety)
• सम्भिन्न-मर्यादाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sambhinna (सम्+√bhid्, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + maryādā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); compound qualifying 'ye'

• नास्तिकाः: atheists/deniers
• नास्तिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāstika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); apposition to 'ye'

• छिन्न-संशयाः: with doubts cut off (free from doubts)
• छिन्न-संशयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: chinna (√chid्, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); appositional qualifier

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), additive/concessive particle

• भावाय: for good conduct/virtue (right path)
• भावाय: Sampradana/Purpose (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); purpose (प्रयोजन)

• कल्पन्ते: become/turn to; adopt
• कल्पन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• राज-दण्ड-निपीडिताः: pressed/oppressed by the king's punishment
• राज-दण्ड-निपीडिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + nipīḍita (नि+√pīḍ्, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); past passive participle used adjectivally; instrumental sense implicit: 'by royal punishment'

Context

Atheists, who disregard the bounds of morality and live freely dispelling doubts will tend to follow virtuous path out of fear when subjected to royal punishment.

Characters & Entities

• maryādā (moral boundary)

FAQs

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

The verse frames punishment (daṇḍa) as a corrective tool: governance restrains those who would otherwise disregard dharma, guiding society back toward moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

The speakers argue that kingship is necessary not only for the good but also to restrain the lawless after the king’s death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ruler’s firmness and impartial enforcement of justice.