Valmiki Ramayana 2.83.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 83, Shloka 17

अयोध्याकाण्डे त्र्यशीति तमः सर्गः · Bharata’s Departure and Encampment on the Gaṅgā

Śṛṅgīberapura

Devanagari script

सुवेषा श्शुद्धवसनास्ताम्रमृष्टानुलेपनाः ।

सर्वे ते विविधैर्यानै श्शनैर्भरतमन्वयुः ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.83.17

Transliteration

suveṣāḥ śuddhavasanās tāmrāmṛṣṭānulepanāḥ |

sarve te vividhair yānaiḥ śanair bharatam anvayuḥ ||17||

Translation

സുന്ദരവേഷധാരികളായി, ശുദ്ധവസ്ത്രങ്ങൾ ധരിച്ചു, നന്നായി തയ്യാറാക്കിയ താമ്രവർണ്ണ ചന്ദനലേപനം അണിഞ്ഞ്—അവർ എല്ലാവരും വിവിധ വാഹനങ്ങളിൽ പതുക്കെ ഭാരതനെ അനുഗമിച്ചു.

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Word by Word

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Relative locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya relative adverb (सम्बन्ध-अव्यय) meaning 'where'

• rāma-sakhaḥ: Rama's friend
• rāma-sakhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + sakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) 'rāmasya sakhā' = Rama's friend

• vīraḥ: valiant
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; adjective qualifying 'guhaḥ'

• guhaḥ: Guha
• guhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana

• jñāti-gaṇaiḥ: by (his) kinsmen/relatives
• jñāti-gaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa 'jñātīnām gaṇaiḥ' = by groups of relatives

• vṛtaḥ: surrounded
• vṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vṛ (धातु) > vṛta (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; Kta-PPP (क्त) meaning 'surrounded' qualifying 'guhaḥ'

• nivasati: dwells
• nivasati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vas (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present, लट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• apramādena: with vigilance
• apramādena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apramāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Ekavacana; adverbial instrumental 'with vigilance'

• deśam: the land/region
• deśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana; refers to 'deśam'

• paripālayan: protecting
• paripālayan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√pāl (धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; Śatṛ-present active participle (शतृ) agreeing with 'guhaḥ': 'while protecting'

Context

Dressed well in clean clothes and anointed with pure red sandalpaste, they all slowly followed Bharata, mounting on various vehicles.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata

FAQs

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

The verse reflects maryādā (propriety) and disciplined social order: even amid urgency, the followers proceed in an orderly, dignified manner, embodying restraint and respect appropriate to a righteous public mission.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes the appearance and movement of the followers as they accompany Bharata on the road.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective self-restraint and decorum: the group’s slow, organized travel suggests controlled conduct aligned with dharmic public life.