Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.52: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

सुरास्सुरापाः पिबत पायसं च बुभुक्षिताः।।।।मांसानि च सुमेध्यानि भक्ष्यन्तां यावदिच्छथ।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.91.52

Transliteration

surāḥ surāpāḥ pibata pāyasaṃ ca bubhukṣitāḥ |

māṃsāni ca sumedhyāni bhakṣyantāṃ yāvad icchatha ||

Translation

Пусть пьющие вино пьют хмельной напиток; пусть голодные вкушают пайасу; и пусть едят должным образом освящённые, дозволенные мясные яства — сколько кто пожелает.

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Word by Word

• surāḥ: liquors
• surāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• surāpāḥ: O drinkers of liquor
• surāpāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pibata: drink
• pibata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāyasam: payasa (milk-rice)
• pāyasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• bubhukṣitāḥ: O hungry ones
• bubhukṣitāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bubhukṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √bhuj desiderative sense)
• Form: Past passive participle-like adjective (कृदन्त-विशेषण), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन); addressing the hungry

• māṃsāni: meats
• māṃsāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

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

• sumedhyāni: very choice/pure
• sumedhyāni: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-medhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with māṃsāni; su+medhya = "very fit for offering/pure"

• bhakṣyantām: let (them) eat / let it be eaten
• bhakṣyantām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative/benedictive sense), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); passive/permission nuance = "let (them) be eaten"

• yāvat: as much as / until
• yāvat: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/conjunction (परिमाण/अवधिवाचक अव्यय)

• icchatha: you desire
• icchatha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

'O wine drinkers, drink as much as you can those who are hungry partake payasam and sacred meat'.

Characters & Entities

• surā (liquor)
• pāyasa

FAQs

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

The dharma of hospitality (atithi-dharma): providing appropriately for guests’ needs. The broader ethical lens is that enjoyment is not condemned, but should be situated within rightful purpose and restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

The personified forest-hostesses invite Bharata’s party to eat and drink freely as part of Bharadvāja’s grand welcome.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharadvāja’s generosity and capacity to provide for a large assembly; implicitly, guests are expected to maintain self-control and not lose sight of their duty.