Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 29

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm

Devanagari script

यथा ह्यनुदका नद्यः यथा वाऽप्यतृणं वनम्।अगोपाला यथा गावस्तथा राष्ट्रमराजकम्।।।।

Transliteration

yathā hy anudakā nadyaḥ yathā vā 'py atṛṇaṃ vanam | agopālā yathā gāvas tathā rāṣṭram arājakam ||

Translation

ରାଜାହୀନ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର ଜଳହୀନ ନଦୀ ପରି, ତୃଣହୀନ ବନ ପରି, ଗୋପାଳହୀନ ଗାଈ ପରି—ତାହାର ଜୀବନାଧାର ଓ ପଥପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ ଉଭୟ ନଷ୍ଟ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक/सम्बन्धवाचक-अव्यय (correlative: 'as')

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/indeed)

• anudakāḥ: waterless
• anudakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (नद्यः-विशेषणम्)

• nadyaḥ: rivers
• nadyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• atṛṇam: grassless
• atṛṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वनम्-विशेषणम्)

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• agopālāḥ: without cowherds
• agopālāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-gopāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गावः-विशेषणम्)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tathā: so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तदनुरूपवाचक-अव्यय (correlative: 'so/likewise')

• rāṣṭram: kingdom/state
• rāṣṭram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• arājakam: kingless
• arājakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-rājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (राष्ट्रम्-विशेषणम्)

Context

(The kingdom without a king) is like rivers without water, forests without vegetation and cows without cowherds.

Characters & Entities

• rāṣṭra (kingdom)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

A king is envisioned as the sustaining guide of the polity; without that guiding dharma, society becomes barren, directionless, and vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

The counsel culminates in vivid comparisons to show that leaderlessness is not neutral—it is a loss of nourishment, protection, and order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Guidance and guardianship—the ruler’s role as protector and organizer of collective life.