Shloka 23

Ravana’s Austerities, the Gods’ Refuge, and the Decree of Rama’s Incarnation

Devanagari script

पुरी त्वयोध्या रविवंशजातैर्नृपैर्महादानमखादिसत्क्रियैः । प्रपालिता भूतलमंडनीया विराजते राजतभूमिभागैः

Transliteration

purī tvayodhyā ravivaṃśajātairnṛpairmahādānamakhādisatkriyaiḥ | prapālitā bhūtalamaṃḍanīyā virājate rājatabhūmibhāgaiḥ

Translation

ഈ അയോധ്യാപുരി, സൂര്യവംശജനായ രാജാക്കന്മാർ മഹാദാനവും യജ്ഞാദി സത്ക്രിയകളും നടത്തി പോഷിപ്പിക്കുകയും സംരക്ഷിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതുകൊണ്ട്, ഭൂമിയുടെ അലങ്കാരമായി, വെള്ളിപോലെ തിളങ്ങുന്ന ഭൂഭാഗങ്ങളാൽ ദീപ്തിമാനായി വിരാജിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पुरी: the city
• पुरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्वयोध्या: Ayodhyā (the city)
• त्वयोध्या: Apposition/Name (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वया + अयोध्या (पदसमूह; पाठभेद-सन्दिग्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्भाव्य-पाठः: ‘अयोध्या’ (नगरनाम) — ‘त्वया’ इति तृतीया एकवचनं पृथक् पदं स्यात्

• रविवंशजातैः: by kings born in the Solar dynasty
• रविवंशजातैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवि + वंश + जात (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रविवंशे जाताः) विशेषणम् (नृपैः)

• नृपैः: by kings
• नृपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• महादानमखादिसत्क्रियैः: by (kings) endowed with great gifts, sacrifices, and other noble rites
• महादानमखादिसत्क्रियैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + दान + मख + आदि + सत्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘महादानैः मखैः आदिभिः सत्क्रियाभिः युक्तैः’ विशेषणम् (नृपैः)

• प्रपालिता: well-protected, well-governed
• प्रपालिता: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृवाच्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पाल् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पुरी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भूतलमण्डनीया: an ornament of the earth
• भूतलमण्डनीया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूतल + मण्डनीय (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतलस्य मण्डनीया) विशेषणम् (पुरी)

• विराजते: shines, is splendid
• विराजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन

• राजतभूमिभागैः: with silvery stretches of ground
• राजतभूमिभागैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजत + भूमि + भाग (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः: ‘राजत-भूमि-भागैः’ (silver-like tracts of ground)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative praise of Ayodhyā; speaker not given in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ravivaṃśajātairnṛpaiḥ → ravivaṃśajātaiḥ + nṛpaiḥ; mahādānamakhādisatkriyaiḥ = mahā-dāna-makha-ādi-sat-kriyaiḥ; bhūtalamaṃḍanīyā = bhūtala-maṇḍanīyā; tvayodhyā is likely sandhi for ‘tva(y) + ayodhyā’ but context suggests the intended reading ‘purī tv ayodhyā’ = ‘the city, namely Ayodhyā’; rājatabhūmibhāgaiḥ = rājata-bhūmi-bhāgaiḥ.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Ravi-vaṁśa (Solar dynasty)

FAQs

What is being praised in this verse of the Padma Purana?

The verse praises Ayodhyā as a radiant, earth-adorning city, made splendid through righteous governance by Solar-dynasty kings known for charity and sacrificial rites.

Why are “mahā-dāna” and “makha” (great gifts and sacrifices) highlighted?

They function as markers of dhārmic kingship: generosity (dāna) and Vedic sacrificial culture (makha/yajña) are presented as sources of social order, prosperity, and sacred prestige.

What ethical lesson is implied by the depiction of Ayodhyā’s kings?

A ruler’s duty is protective and elevating: good governance joined with charity and virtuous rites makes a realm flourish and become worthy of honor.