Valmiki Ramayana 2.114.7 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 7

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

सफेनां सस्वनां भूत्वा सागरस्य समुत्थिताम्। प्रशान्तमारुतोद्धूतां जलोर्मिमिव निस्स्वनाम्।।2.114.7।।

Transliteration

saphenāṃ sasvanāṃ bhūtvā sāgarasya samutthitām | praśāntamārutoddhūtāṃ jalormim iva nissvanām || 2.114.7 ||

Translation

അത് സമുദ്രതരംഗംപോലെ: ആദ്യം നുരയോടെ ഗർജ്ജിച്ച് ഉയരും; പിന്നെ ശാന്തമായ കാറ്റിൽ ഒഴുകിപ്പോയി, ശമിച്ച് നിശ്ശബ്ദമാകും.

Word by Word

• स-फेनाम्: foamy
• स-फेनाम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग ‘स-’ = ‘with’; ‘with foam’

• स-स्वनाम्: noisy/roaring
• स-स्वनाम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with sound/roaring’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) अव्यय; ‘having become’

• सागरस्य: of the ocean
• सागरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• समुत्थिताम्: risen
• समुत्थिताम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त/PPP; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रशान्त-मारुत-उद्धूताम्: swept by a calm breeze
• प्रशान्त-मारुत-उद्धूताम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मारुत (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रशान्तेन मारुतेन उद्धूता’—swept by a gentle breeze

• जल-ऊर्मिम्: a water-wave
• जल-ऊर्मिम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘जलस्य ऊर्मिः’—wave

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-सूचक

• निः-स्वनाम्: silent
• निः-स्वनाम्: Upamana-anvayi Visheshana (उपमान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; निः/निस्- उपसर्गः ‘without sound’

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• sāgara (ocean)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the discipline of endurance: intense emotion rises, but must settle into steadiness. Dharma includes the capacity to bear sorrow without losing moral direction.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator continues portraying Ayodhyā’s grief—initially loud and turbulent, then settling into a stunned, quiet stillness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective restraint is emphasized: the city’s people move from wailing to a grave silence, reflecting controlled suffering rather than chaos.