Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 4

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

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

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेयोऽथ मौद्गल्यो वामदेवश्च काश्यपः।कात्यायनो गौतमश्च जाबालिश्च महायशाः।।2.67.3।।एते द्विजा स्सहामात्यैः पृथग्वा च मुदीरयन्।वसिष्ठमेवाभिमुखाः श्रेष्ठं राजपुरोहितम्।।2.67.4।।

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeyo 'tha maudgalyo vāmadevaś ca kāśyapaḥ | kātyāyano gautamaś ca jābāliś ca mahāyaśāḥ ||

ete dvijāḥ sahāmātyaiḥ pṛthag vā ca mudīrayan | vasiṣṭham evābhimukhāḥ śreṣṭhaṃ rājapurohitam ||

Translation

そのとき、マールカンデーヤ、マウドガリヤ、ヴァーマデーヴァ、カーश्यパ、カーティヤーヤナ、ガウタマ、そして名高きジャーバーリ——これらのバラモンたちは大臣たちとともに、最上の王家祭司ヴァシシュタのもとへ進み、彼に向かってそれぞれの見解を述べた。

Word by Word

• atītā: passed
• atītā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-√i (धातु)
• Form: Bhūta-kāla kṛdanta; Kta-pratyaya (past passive participle/क्त), Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of śarvarī

• śarvarī: night
• śarvarī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• duḥkham: sorrowful
• duḥkham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa (predicate adjective) of śarvarī (by sense)

• yā: which/that
• yā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun referring to śarvarī

• naḥ: for us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• varṣa-śata-upamā: like a hundred years
• varṣa-śata-upamā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṣa + śata + upamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: varṣaśatasya upamā (like a hundred years)

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; sarvanāma used with pārthive

• pañcatvam: death (dissolution)
• pañcatvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'state of being five' i.e., death (dissolution into five elements)

• āpanne: having attained
• āpanne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pad (धातु)
• Form: Bhūta-kāla kṛdanta; Kta (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative absolute with asmin pārthive: 'when the king had attained...'

• putra-śokena: by grief for (his) son
• putra-śokena: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra + śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: putrasya śokaḥ (grief for the son)

• pārthive: in/when the king
• pārthive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative absolute base with asmin...āpanne

Context

Markandeya, Maudgalya, Kasyapa, Katyayana, Gautama, Jabali of great renown accompanied by ministers and brahmins approached Vasistha, the chief priest of the king and expressed different opinions (on the investiture).

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vāmadeva
• Kāśyapa
• Kātyāyana
• Gautama
• Jābāli
• Vasiṣṭha
• amātya (ministers)

FAQs

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

Dharma is approached through deliberation: qualified elders and ministers consult the chief preceptor, showing that righteous action in statecraft should arise from counsel, not impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

A council of eminent brahmins and ministers gathers and approaches Vasiṣṭha to present views connected with governance and succession in Ayodhya.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Wisdom through consultation—respect for learned authority (guru/purohita) and collective reasoning in moments of political uncertainty.