Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 17
अयोध्याप्रवेशः
Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation
Devanagari script
सहसा युद्धशौण्डेन हयारोहेण वाहिताम्। निहतां प्रतिसैन्येन वडवामिव पातिताम्।।2.114.17।।
Transliteration
sahasā yuddhaśauṇḍena hayāroheṇa vāhitām | nihatāṃ pratisainyena vaḍavām iva pātitām || 2.114.17 ||
Translation
ਯੁੱਧ-ਨਿਪੁਣ ਘੋੜਸਵਾਰ ਨੇ ਅਚਾਨਕ ਦੌੜਾਇਆ ਹੋਵੇ ਤਦ ਵੀ, ਵਿਰੋਧੀ ਫੌਜ ਨੇ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ ਧਰਤੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਸੁੱਟ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਘੋੜੀ ਵਾਂਗ ਉਹ ਡਿੱਗੀ ਪਈ ਸੀ।
Word by Word
सहसाsuddenly
सहसा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहसा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)
युद्धशौण्डेनby a war-expert
युद्धशौण्डेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध + शौण्ड (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
Formतत्पुरुषः (युद्धे शौण्डः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/by), एकवचन
हयारोहेणby a horse-rider
हयारोहेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootहय + आरोह (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
Formतत्पुरुषः (हयस्य आरोहः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन
वाहिताम्driven, carried
वाहिताम्:
Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootवह् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formणिजन्त-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘driven/carried’
निहताम्slain
निहताम्:
Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootनि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formउपसर्गपूर्वक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘slain’
प्रतिसैन्येनby the opposing army
प्रतिसैन्येन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रति + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
Formतत्पुरुषः (प्रति = विरोधे); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/by), एकवचन
वडवाम्a mare
वडवाम्:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootवडवा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
इवlike
इव:
Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (उपमा-सूचक)
पातिताम्felled, thrown down
पातिताम्:
Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootपत् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formणिजन्त-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘made to fall, felled’
Characters & Entities
A
AyodhyāFAQs
The verse underscores how collective life suffers when righteous leadership is removed; dharma protects a realm from ‘being felled’ by adversity, both moral and political.
A continuing set of metaphors portrays Ayodhya as struck down and powerless after Rama’s exile.
Rama’s protective kingship (rājadharma) is implied by its absence—his removal makes the city appear defeated.