Valmiki Ramayana 2.16.46: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 46

सुमन्त्रदर्शनम् तथा रामस्य राजदर्शनाय प्रस्थानम्

Sumantra Meets Rama; Rama Departs to See the King

Spoken by Citizens of AyodhyaSetting: Ayodhya (public discourse among citizens)Places named: rāṣṭra (the kingdom)

Devanagari script

लाभो जनस्यास्य यदेष सर्वं प्रपत्स्यते राष्ट्रमिदं चिराय ।

न ह्यप्रियं किञ्चन जातु कश्चि त्पश्येन्न दुःखं मनुजाधिपेऽस्मिन् ॥४६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.16.46

Transliteration

lābho janasyāsya yad eṣa sarvaṃ prapatsyate rāṣṭram idaṃ cirāya |

na hy apriyaṃ kiñcana jātu kaścit paśyen na duḥkhaṃ manujādhipe 'smin ||46||

Translation

यदेष रामो जनस्यास्य सर्वं राष्ट्रं चिराय प्रपत्स्यते, तदेव लाभः; अस्मिन् मनुजाधिपे कश्चिदपि जातु नाप्रियं न दुःखं पश्येत्।

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Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ghoṣa-vadbhiḥ: with noisy (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; -वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (noisy)
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• mataṅgajaiḥ: with elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: mataṅgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• hayaiḥ: with horses
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• purassaraiḥ: preceding
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purassara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; (preceding) स्वस्तिकसूतमागधैः इति विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• svastika-sūta-māgadhaiḥ: with bards and panegyrists chanting blessings
• Type: Noun
• Root: svastika (प्रातिपदिक) + sūta (प्रातिपदिक) + māgadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्वः (sūtāś ca māgadhāś ca) स्वस्तिक-शब्देन विशेषितः
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)
• Compound: Dvandva

• mahīyamānaḥ: being honored
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahīyate (धातु: √mah/mahī (Denom.)) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तं वर्तमान-कृदन्तम् (present middle participle: being honored), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• pravaraiḥ: by excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; वादकैः इति विशेषणम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• vādakaiḥ: by musicians
• Type: Noun
• Root: vādaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• abhiṣṭutaḥ: praised
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√stu (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं (praised)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• vaiśravaṇaḥ: Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान-रूपेण (Kubera)
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)

• yathā: as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (as/like)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/भाव)

• yayau: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• घोषवद्भिश्च = घोषवद्भिः + च
• मतङ्गजैर्हयैः = मतङ्गजैः + हयैः
• पुरस्सरैः स्वस्तिकसूतमागधैः = पुरःसरैः + स्वस्तिकसूतमागधैः
• वादकै-रभिष्टुतः = वादकैः + अभिष्टुतः

Context

If this Rama obtains the entire kingdom for a long time, it will be in the interest of the people. If he becomes king none will ever witness anything unpleasant or sad. (They observed).

The teaching

The people’s welfare is the telos of rāja-dharma; a ruler’s virtue is measured by the reduction of duḥkha and fear in the realm.

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / prajā-pālana

Devotion and practice

Supports contemplation of Rāma-rājya as inner governance—discipline that minimizes 'apriya' and 'duḥkha' in one’s life.

Deity praised

Rama

Form of praise

Stuti (a hymn of praise)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Assured, protective, optimistic

Themes

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Ethics
• Itihasa
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāṣṭra (the kingdom of Ayodhyā)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma: the king’s righteousness is measured by public welfare—freedom from suffering and the absence of injustice are presented as the hallmark of Rama’s rule.

What is the narrative situation?

Onlookers in Ayodhyā voice their hope that Rama will rule, convinced his kingship will bring lasting prosperity and safety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s benevolence and justice—his capacity to govern so that people do not encounter ‘apriya’ (harm/unpleasantness) or ‘duḥkha’ (sorrow).