Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114, Shloka 18

अयोध्याप्रवेशः

Bharata Enters Ayodhya and Perceives the City’s Desolation

Devanagari script

शुष्कतोयां महामत्स्यैः कूर्मैश्च बहुभिर्वृताम्। प्रभिन्नतटविस्तीर्णां वापीमिव हृतोत्पलाम्।।2.114.18।।

Transliteration

śuṣkatoyāṃ mahāmatsyaiḥ kūrmaiś ca bahubhir vṛtām | prabhinnataṭavistīrṇāṃ vāpīm iva hṛtotpalām || 2.114.18 ||

Translation

Как водоём, в котором высохла вода, — кишащий крупной рыбой и множеством черепах, — с размытыми, расползшимися берегами и без лотосов.

Word by Word

• शुष्कतोयाम्: with water dried up
• शुष्कतोयाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क + तोय (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (शुष्कं तोयं यस्याम्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with dried water’

• महामत्स्यैः: by great fishes
• महामत्स्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: कर्मधारयः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• कूर्मैः: by tortoises
• कूर्मैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/and)

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karaṇa (करण) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘by many’

• वृताम्: filled, covered
• वृताम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘filled/covered’

• प्रभिन्नतटविस्तीर्णाम्: spread out with banks broken
• प्रभिन्नतटविस्तीर्णाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभिन्न + तट + विस्तीर्ण (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; प्रभिन्न (क्त, ‘split’), विस्तीर्ण (क्त, ‘spread’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘spread with banks split’

• वापीम्: a reservoir/pond
• वापीम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा-सूचक)

• हृतोत्पलाम्: with lotuses gone/withheld
• हृतोत्पलाम्: Upamāna (उपमान) (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिके) (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; हृत (क्त, ‘taken away/removed’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with lotuses gone’

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma is likened to sustaining ‘water’ that nourishes beauty and stability; when dharma is compromised, the community remains but its joy, prosperity, and grace (lotuses) vanish.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhya is described as depleted and broken, using ecological metaphors to convey civic sorrow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s life-giving presence as the ethical center of the kingdom is implied; without him, the city is ‘dried up’.