Valmiki Ramayana 2.3.18: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 18

यौवराज्याभिषेक-उपकल्पनम्

Preparations for Rama’s Installation as Yuvaraja

Devanagari script

देवायतनचैत्येषुसान्नभक्षा स्सदक्षिणाः ॥१८॥

उपस्थापयितव्या स्स्युर्माल्ययोग्याः पृथक्पृथक् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.3.18

Transliteration

devāyatana-caityeṣu sānnabhakṣāḥ sadakṣiṇāḥ ||18||

upasthāpayitavyāḥ syur mālyayogyāḥ pṛthak pṛthak |

Translation

देवायतनचैत्येषु सान्नभक्षाः सदक्षिणाः, माल्योपस्थापनयोग्याः परिचारकाः पृथक्पृथक् उपस्थापयितव्याः स्युः।

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Word by Word

• devāyatana-caityeṣu: in temples and shrines
• devāyatana-caityeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devāyatana (प्रातिपदिक) + caitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Loc), बहुवचन (pl); द्वन्द्व: 'in temples and shrines'

• sānna-bhakṣāḥ: provided with food/eatables
• sānna-bhakṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + anna (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), बहुवचन (pl); बहुव्रीहि: 'those who have food/eatables (with them)'

• sa-dakṣiṇāḥ: together with gifts
• sa-dakṣiṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), बहुवचन (pl); बहुव्रीहि: 'having gifts/fees'

• upasthāpayitavyāḥ: to be stationed
• upasthāpayitavyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), बहुवचन (pl); तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/future passive participle): 'to be stationed/placed'

• syuḥ: should be
• syuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (pl), परस्मैपद

• mālya-yogyāḥ: fit to hold garlands
• mālya-yogyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mālya (प्रातिपदिक) + yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), बहुवचन (pl); तत्पुरुष: 'fit for garlands'

• pṛthak: separately
• pṛthak: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'separately'

• pṛthak: each separately
• pṛthak: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (repetition for distributive sense)

Context

Persons to cater food and other eatables and to hold garlands and gifts be stationed at all temples and other places of worship.

Characters & Entities

• caitya (shrines)
• mālya (garlands)
• dakṣiṇā (gifts)

FAQs

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

Dharma is upheld by supporting worship and community access to sacred spaces through orderly service, hospitality, and charitable giving.

What is the narrative situation?

As part of citywide consecration preparations, service stations are arranged at temples and shrines with food, garlands, and gifts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Public-spirited devotion: the administration ensures religious sites are properly supported during a major state ceremony.