Shloka 7

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः

Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्न सगजा साऽश्वा सजना सजनाधिपा।रामसन्तापदुःखेन दग्धा शोकाग्निना पुरी।।।।

Transliteration

kaccin na sagajā sāśvā sajanā sajanādhipā |

rāma-santāpa-duḥkhena dagdhā śokāgninā purī ||

Translation

“രാമന്റെ സന്താപദുഃഖത്തിൽ ജ്വലിച്ച ശോകാഗ്നി—ആനകളും കുതിരകളും, ജനങ്ങളും ജനാധിപനും സഹിതം—ഈ പുരിയെ ദഹിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടില്ലല്ലോ?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: surely? / I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक निपात (interrogative particle: 'is it the case?')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• स-गजा: with elephants
• स-गजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (गजैः सह)

• स-अश्वा: with horses
• स-अश्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (अश्वैः सह)

• स-जना: with people
• स-जना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (जनैः सह)

• स-जन-अधिपा: with the ruler of its people (king)
• स-जन-अधिपा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + jana + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (जनाधिपेन सह)

• राम-सन्ताप-दुःखेन: by the sorrow from Rama's anguish
• राम-सन्ताप-दुःखेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + santāpa + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य सन्तापः तस्मात् दुःखम्)

• दग्धा: burnt
• दग्धा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dagdha (दह्-धातु, क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि भावः (burnt)

• शोक-अग्निना: by the fire of grief
• शोक-अग्निना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शोकस्य अग्निः)

• पुरी: the city
• पुरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

Beholding the silent city, almost empty, the deeply depressed Sumantra, afflicted with gushing tears reflected:

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• Ayodhyā
• King (Daśaratha, implied)

FAQs

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

A ruler and city are bound together by dharma: when the righteous heir suffers, the polity suffers too—dharma is not merely personal, it is social.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra, seeing the eerie silence, fears Ayodhyā may have collapsed under grief for Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate concern: Sumantra worries not only for the royal family but for the whole city and its well-being.