Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.44: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 44

भरद्वाजाश्रमे भरतसैन्यस्य दिव्यात्मिथ्यम् / Divine Hospitality to Bharata’s Army at Bharadvaja’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

सुवर्णमणिमुक्तेन प्रवालेन च शोभिताः ।

आगुर्विंशतिसाहास्राः कुबेरप्रहिताः स्त्रियः ॥४४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.91.44

Transliteration

suvarṇa-maṇi-muktena pravālena ca śobhitāḥ |

āgur viṃśati-sāhasrāḥ kubera-prahitāḥ striyaḥ ||44||

Translation

Dwadzieścia tysięcy kobiet, lśniących złotem, klejnotami, perłami i koralami, przybyło, posłanych przez Kubera.

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Word by Word

• सुवर्ण-मणि-मुक्तेन: with gold, gems and pearls
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): सुवर्णं च मणयः च मुक्ताः च; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘with gold, gems and pearls’ (as a collective)
• Role: करण (Instrument)
• Compound: Dvandva

• प्रवालेन: with coral
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: करण (Instrument)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: समुच्चय (Coordinator)

• शोभिताः: adorned, shining
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु) (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nom), बहुवचन (Plural) — agreeing with ‘स्त्रियः’
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)

• आगुः: came
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: क्रिया (Verb)

• विंशति-साहस्राः: twenty thousand
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — agreeing with ‘स्त्रियः’
• Role: विशेषण (Quantifier)
• Compound: Dvigu

• कुबेर-प्रहिताः: sent by Kubera
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुबेर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: कुबेरेण प्रहिताः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — agreeing with ‘स्त्रियः’
• Role: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स्त्रियः: women
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)

Sandhi Notes

• आगुर्विंशति… → आगुः + विंशति…

Context

Twenty thousand women adorned with gold, gems and corals sent by Kubera came.

The teaching

Artha, when displayed as spectacle, can become a subtler snare than fear; dharma requires inner non-attachment.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya responsibility and fraternal fidelity vs seduction by artha and kāma
• Public duty (rājadharma) vs private indulgence

Ethical theme

Non-attachment (vairāgya) / integrity

How it resolves

Temptation intensified (wealth-as-lure)

Devotion and practice

Reflection on the impermanence of ornament and the discipline of contentment (santoṣa).

Deity praised

Kubera (as lord of wealth, implied)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Luxurious, radiant, sensory

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Divine wealth
• Hospitality
• Wonder

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kubera
• gold (suvarṇa)
• gems (maṇi)
• pearls (mukta)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores that wealth, when aligned with dharma, becomes an instrument of honoring others; even Kubera’s riches are portrayed as serving rightful hospitality rather than mere indulgence.

What is the narrative situation?

The miraculous reception expands: attendants richly adorned arrive, now explicitly attributed to Kubera, lord of wealth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Appropriate use of prosperity—splendor is framed as service to guests and support of righteous social conduct.