Valmiki Ramayana 2.46.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 46, Shloka 4

तमसातीरवासः · Night on the Bank of the Tamasa and the Stratagem to Elude the Citizens

Spoken by Rama to LakshmanaSetting: On the road leaving Ayodhyā (Ayodhyākāṇḍa exile departure)Places named: AyodhyāImmediate aftermath of departure from Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

अद्यायोध्या तु नगरी राजधानी पितुर्मम ।

सस्त्रीपुंसा गतानस्माञ्शोचिष्यति न संशयः ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.46.4

Transliteration

adyāyodhyā tu nagarī rājadhānī pitur mama |

sastrīpuṃsā gatān asmāñ śociṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ||4||

Translation

ഇന്ന് സംശയമില്ല—എന്റെ പിതാവിന്റെ രാജധാനിയായ അയോധ്യ, ഞങ്ങൾ പുറപ്പെട്ടതുകൊണ്ട്, സ്ത്രീപുരുഷന്മാരൊക്കെയും ചേർന്ന് ഞങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ച് ദുഃഖിക്കും.

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Word by Word

• adya: today/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal adverb
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)

• ayodhyā: Ayodhyā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• tu: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)

• nagarī: city
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); apposition to ayodhyā
• Role: Samānādhikaraṇa (apposition)

• rājadhānī: capital
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājadhānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); apposition
• Role: Samānādhikaraṇa (apposition)

• pituḥ: of (my) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana (Singular)
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana (Singular)
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive)

• sa-strī-puṃsā: with women and men
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/सहित) (उपसर्गवत्) + strī (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine) collective, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana (Singular); dvandva: striyaḥ ca pumāṃsaḥ ca; with 'sa-' = 'together with'; meaning 'with women and men'
• Role: Sahacāra (सहचार/association)
• Compound: Dvandva

• gatān: gone (away)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); qualifies asmān
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of asmān

• asmān: us
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object) of śociṣyati

• śociṣyati: will mourn/grieve
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ lakāra (Periphrastic future), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• na: no/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation
• Role: Pratiṣedha (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana (Singular); used in idiom 'na saṃśayaḥ'
• Role: Pratijñā/niścaya-vācaka (assertive)

Sandhi Notes

• adyāyodhyā = adya + ayodhyā
• gatānasmān = gatān + asmān. na saṃśayaḥ is idiomatic 'no doubt'

Context

There is no doubt that now the men and women of Ayodhya, father's capital city must be bewailing our departure.

The teaching

A righteous choice may cause public sorrow; dharma is not measured by immediate comfort but by fidelity to truth and duty.

Duties in tension

• Personal happiness and belonging in Ayodhyā
• Obedience to father’s word and royal decree (satya/dharma)
• Responsibility toward citizens’ welfare vs. acceptance of exile

Ethical theme

Satya-dharma vs. loka-hita

How it resolves

Renunciation/acceptance of exile for dharma

For your practice

Supports practice of tyāga and steadiness: accept that doing the right thing can grieve others, yet remain compassionate and firm.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Foreboding, civic-lament, tender

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Compassion
• Renunciation

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Ayodhya
• Dasharatha (as 'my father')

FAQs

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

Dharma here is shown as accepting personal hardship for a righteous commitment, while remaining sensitive to the suffering one’s duty may cause to society.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama is leaving Ayodhyā for forest exile; he anticipates the city’s grief at the departure of Rama, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and responsibility—Rama recognizes the emotional cost of his dharmic decision upon the citizens.