Valmiki Ramayana 2.86.19-21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 86, Shlokas 19-21

लक्ष्मणगुणवर्णनम् · Lakshmana’s Vigil and Guha’s Testimony

Spoken by GuhaSetting: Ayodhyā (described, not physically present)Places named: pitur rājadhānī (father’s capital)

Devanagari script

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां सुविभक्तमहापथाम् ।

हर्म्यप्रासादम्पन्नां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम् ॥१९॥

गजाश्वरथसंबाधां तूर्यनादविनादिताम् ।

सर्वकल्याणसंपूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम् ॥२०॥

आरामोद्यानसंपूर्णां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम् ।

सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.86.19-21

Transliteration

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām |

harmyaprāsādasampannāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām ||19||

gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām |

sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām ||20||

ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm |

sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ pitur mama ||21||

Translation

എന്റെ പിതാവിന്റെ രാജധാനിയിൽ—മനോഹരമായ ചത്വരങ്ങളും ചുരുക്കുവഴികളും കൊണ്ട് ശോഭിതമായ, നന്നായി വിഭജിച്ച മഹാപഥങ്ങളുള്ള; ഹർമ്യ-പ്രാസാദങ്ങളാൽ സമൃദ്ധമായ, സർവ്വരത്നങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതമായ; ഗജ-അശ്വ-രഥങ്ങളുടെ തിരക്കാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ, തൂര്യനാദം മുഴങ്ങുന്ന; സർവ്വകല്യാണസമ്പൂർണ്ണമായ, ഹർഷിതവും പുഷ്ടവുമായ ജനസമൂഹം കവിഞ്ഞൊഴുകുന്ന; ആരാമ-ഉദ്യാന-വനവീഥികളാൽ സമ്പന്നമായ, സമൂഹോത്സവങ്ങളാൽ ദീപ്തമായ—ജനങ്ങൾ സുഖത്തോടെ സഞ്ചരിക്കും.

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Word by Word

• ramya-catvara-saṃsthānām: having charming squares and junctions
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक) + catvara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (descriptive): रम्याणि चत्वराणि यस्याः सा (having lovely squares/crossroads as its layout)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• su-vibhakta-mahāpathām: with well-divided highways
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + vibhakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + mahāpatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सुविभक्ताः महापथाः यस्याः (with well-laid great roads)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• harmya-prāsāda-saṃpannām: rich in mansions and palaces
• Type: Adjective
• Root: harmya (प्रातिपदिक) + prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃpanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: हर्म्यैः प्रासादैः च संपन्ना (endowed with mansions and palaces)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• sarva-ratna-vibhūṣitām: adorned with every jewel
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-√bhūṣ (धातु) > vibhūṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): सर्वैः रत्नैः विभूषिता (adorned with all gems)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• gaja-aśva-ratha-saṃbādhām: thronged with elephants, horses, chariots
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: गजैः अश्वैः रथैः संबाधा (crowded with elephants, horses, chariots)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• tūrya-nāda-vināditām: resounding with musical sounds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + nāda (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-√nad (धातु) > vinādita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): तूर्यनादेन विनादिता (resounded by instrumental music)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• sarva-kalyāṇa-saṃpūrṇām: full of every prosperity
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃpūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सर्वैः कल्याणैः संपूर्णा (complete with all auspiciousness)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• hṛṣṭa-puṣṭa-jana-ākulām: crowded with joyful, healthy people
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + puṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: हृष्टैः पुष्टैः जनैः आकुला (crowded with happy and well-nourished people)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ārāma-udyāna-saṃpūrṇām: abounding in gardens and parks
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + udyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃpūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: आरामैः उद्यानैः संपूर्णा (filled with gardens and parks)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• samāja-utsava-śālinīm: splendid with public festivities
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāja (प्रातिपदिक) + utsava (प्रातिपदिक) + śālinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: समाजोत्सवैः शालिनी (graced by public festivals)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• sukhitāḥ: happy/at ease
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used as predicate adjective of implied people (they)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• vicariṣyanti: will roam about
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• rājadhānīm: the capital city
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājadhānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• pituḥ: of (my) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• mama: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• All long compounds are resolved as multi-member tatpuruṣa descriptives qualifying rājadhānīm (acc. sg. fem.)
• piturmama → pituḥ mama

Context

There in the capital of my father with its lovely cross-roads and squares, well-laid highways, full of mansions and palaces encrusted with all kinds of precious stones, teeming with elephants, horses and chariots, resounding with trumpets, and with well-being everywhere, and plenty of pleasure-gardens, and parks and community festivals, people sound in health would be moving about in great comfort.

The teaching

A ruler’s realm is measured by public ease, order, and auspiciousness; civic prosperity is a visible fruit of rājadharma.

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / loka-kalyāṇa

For your practice

Smaraṇa of an ideal dharmic society can inspire gratitude and responsibility toward communal welfare.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Śrīgaśra

Mood

Opulent, festive, yearning

Themes

• Itihasa
• Longing
• Civic prosperity
• Dharma (ideal kingdom)
• Maryada

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā (implied by rājadhānīṃ pitur mama)

FAQs

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

The verse evokes rājadhrama/ideal civic order: a righteous realm is marked by safety, prosperity, public joy, and the well-being of ordinary people.

What is the narrative situation?

In the midst of exile and uncertainty, the speaker recalls the splendor and social harmony of the capital, imagining people living and moving about happily.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A value for public welfare and ordered society—measuring a kingdom’s greatness by the flourishing of its people.