Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 29

अयोध्यायां शोकविलापः

Lamentation in Ayodhya after Daśaratha’s death

Devanagari script

नराश्च नार्यश्च समेत्य सङ्घशः विगर्हमाणा भरतस्य मातरम्।तदा नगर्यां नरदेवसङ्क्षये बभूवुरार्ता न च शर्म लेभिरे।।।।

Transliteration

narāś ca nāryaś ca sametya saṅghaśaḥ vigarhamāṇā bharatasya mātaram |

tadā nagaryāṃ naradeva-saṅkṣaye babhūvur ārtā na ca śarma lebhire ||

Translation

Тогда, когда богоподобный царь погиб, мужчины и женщины в городе собирались толпами, порицая мать Бхараты; терзаемые скорбью, они не находили покоя.

Word by Word

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• nāryaḥ: women
• nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• sametya: having assembled
• sametya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-i (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• saṅghaśaḥ: in groups
• saṅghaśaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṅghaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (in groups)

• vigarhamāṇāḥ: denouncing
• vigarhamāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-garh (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमानकाले), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; पुं/स्त्री (नराः/नार्यः) अनुसार; कर्तरि

• bharatasya: of Bharata
• bharatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mātaram: mother
• mātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• nagaryām: in the city
• nagaryām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• naradeva-saṅkṣaye: at the king's demise
• naradeva-saṅkṣaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-deva + saṅkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नरदेवस्य सङ्क्षयः)

• babhūvuḥ: became
• babhūvuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ārtāḥ: distressed
• ārtāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (नराः/नार्यः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• śarma: comfort/peace
• śarma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• lebhire: obtained
• lebhire: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; नकार-निषेधेन सह

Context

After the demise of the king, men and women in the city assembled in groups and denounced the mother of Bharata. Extremely distressed, they had no peace of mind.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ṣaṭṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the sixtysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Daśaratha
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It highlights social accountability: when adharma is perceived to cause public catastrophe, society openly censures the agent, seeking restoration of righteousness and truth in governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Following Daśaratha’s death, the citizens of Ayodhyā collectively blame and denounce Kaikeyī, associating her actions with the kingdom’s suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The citizens’ moral sensitivity is emphasized—their refusal to normalize wrongdoing, even when it involves royalty.