Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 16

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम् · Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Setting: Ekasāla → crossing Sthāṇumatī; Vinata → crossing Gomatī; reaching sāla-forest at KaliṅganagaraPlaces named: एकसाल, स्थाणुमती, विनत, गोमती, कलिङ्गनगर, सालवनLate-stage push with exhausted mounts

Devanagari script

एकसाले स्थाणुमतीं विनते गोमतीं नदीम् ।

कलिङ्गनगरे चापि प्राप्य सालवनं तदा ॥१६॥

भरतः क्षिप्रमागच्छत्सुपरिश्रान्तवाहनः ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.71.16

Transliteration

ekasāle sthāṇumatīṃ vinate gomatīṃ nadīm |

kaliṅganagare cāpi prāpya sālavanam tadā ||16||

bharataḥ kṣipram āgacchat supariśrāntavāhanaḥ |

Translation

ഏകസാലയിൽ സ്ഥാണുമതീ നദിയും വിനതയിൽ ഗോമതീ നദിയും കടന്ന്; പിന്നെ കലിംഗനഗരത്തിലെ ശാലവനം എത്തി. വാഹനങ്ങൾ അത്യന്തം ക്ഷീണിച്ചിരുന്നിട്ടും ഭരതൻ വേഗത്തിൽ മുന്നേറി.

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Word by Word

• एकसाले: at Ekasala
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकसाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Place-name usage)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)

• स्थाणुमतीम्: Sthanumati (river)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणुमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• विनते: at Vinata
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक (Place-name usage)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)

• गोमतीम्: Gomati (river)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• नदीम्: river
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• कलिङ्गनगरे: at Kalinganagara
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); समास: कलिङ्गानां नगरम् (Kalinga-city)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: समुच्चय (Conjunction)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)
• Role: वाक्यालङ्कार (Emphasis/also)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), 'having reached'
• Role: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)

• सालवनम्: the sala forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: साल + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); समास: सालानां वनम् (sāla-forest)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverb)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)

• आगच्छत्: came
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ- गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)
• Role: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)

• सुपरिश्रान्तवाहनः: whose mounts were extremely fatigued
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + परि + श्रान्त + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); बहुव्रीहि: यस्य वाहनं (अश्वादि) सु-परि-श्रान्तम् (whose mounts are very fatigued)
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

Sandhi Notes

• चापि = च + अपि
• क्षिप्रमागच्छत् = क्षिप्रम् + आगच्छत्

Context

Bharata crossed the rivers Sthanumati at Ekasala and Gomati at Vinata villages. Thereafter as his horses were extremely tired he rested for a while in the sala forest in Kalinganagara before he speedily set out (again).

The teaching

Righteous urgency must still remember stewardship; leadership is tested when means are weary.

Duties in tension

• Urgency to reach Rāma and restore dharma
• Duty of care toward exhausted animals/retinue (ahiṃsā/compassion in leadership)

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / stewardship

How it resolves

Prioritization under necessity (pressing on while bearing strain)

For your practice

Cultivate titikṣā (forbearance) and responsible effort—continue the vow without cruelty or negligence.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Relentless, fatigued, pressing-on

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Journey
• Urgency
• Responsibility

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Vinata
• Gomatī (river)

FAQs

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

Dharma is prioritizing obligation while acknowledging limits—fatigue is noted, yet the mission continues, showing duty guided by awareness rather than denial.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata continues his return route, crossing two rivers and reaching a sāla-forest near Kaliṅganagara despite exhausted mounts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Determination tempered with realism—he recognizes exhaustion but does not abandon the task.