Shloka 3

अयोध्यानगरवर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya and the Ikshvaku Royal Setting

Devanagari script

इक्ष्वाकूणामिदं तेषां राज्ञां वंशे महात्मनाम् ।महदुत्पन्नमाख्यानं रामायणमिति श्रुतम् ।।।।

Transliteration

ikṣvākūṇām idaṃ teṣāṃ rājñāṃ vaṃśe mahātmanām | mahad utpannam ākhyānaṃ rāmāyaṇam iti śrutam ||

Translation

ਇਕਸ਼ਵਾਕੁ ਵੰਸ਼ ਦੇ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਰਾਜਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਪਰੰਪਰਾ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਇਹ ਮਹਾਨ ਆਖਿਆਨ ਉਤਪੰਨ ਹੋਇਆ; ਜਗਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਹ ‘ਰਾਮਾਇਣ’ ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म) (co-referential with इदम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• इदम्: this (epic)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म) (of वर्तयिष्यामि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वर्तयिष्यामि: I shall expound; I shall propagate
• वर्तयिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु; णिच् वर्तय्)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative): "I shall set forth/propagate"

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of इदम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इदम् विशेषणम्

• निखिलम्: complete; whole
• निखिलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of इदम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इदम् विशेषणम्

• आदितः: from the beginning
• आदितः: Kāla/Avadhi (काल/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): "from the beginning"

• धर्मकामार्थसहितम्: accompanied by dharma, kāma, and artha
• धर्मकामार्थसहितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of इदम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + काम + अर्थ + सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (itaretara) धर्म-काम-अर्थ + तत्पुरुष with सहित: तैः सहितम्; कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इदम् विशेषणम्

• श्रोतव्यम्: to be heard; should be listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु; तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate): "should be heard"

• अनसूयया: without malice; without prejudice
• अनसूयया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/भाव (with non-censoriousness)

Context

It was from the family of mighty monarchs with Ikshvaku as its founder and the kings born in that race, the celebrated epic known as the 'Ramayanam' arose.

Characters & Entities

• Ikṣvāku
• Rāmāyaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse grounds the Rāmāyaṇa in a royal lineage famed for nobility, implying that dharma is preserved and transmitted through exemplary lives and remembered as authoritative tradition (itihāsa).

What is the narrative situation?

The text introduces the Rāmāyaṇa as a renowned, great account that arose from the Ikṣvāku dynasty, setting the epic’s historical and cultural frame.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nobility and greatness of soul (mahātmatā)—the quality expected of righteous rulers and central heroes of the epic.