Valmiki Ramayana 2.33.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 4

त्रयस्त्रिंशः सर्गः · Civic Lament and Rama’s Dutiful Approach to Daśaratha

Devanagari script

न हि रथ्याः स्म शक्यन्ते गन्तुं बहुजनाकुलाः ।

आरुह्य तस्मात्प्रासादान् दीनाः पश्यन्ति राघवम् ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.33.4

Transliteration

na hi rathyāḥ sma śakyante gantuṃ bahujanākulāḥ |

āruhya tasmāt prāsādān dīnāḥ paśyanti rāghavam ||4||

Translation

बहुजनाकुलाः रथ्याः गन्तुं न हि शक्यन्ते स्म; तस्मात् दीनाः जनाः प्रासादान् आरुह्य राघवं पश्यन्ति स्म।

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• रथ्याः: streets
• रथ्याः: कर्ता (subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

• स्म: (in the past)
• स्म: काल/वृत्त (aspect marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (past-habitual marker)

• शक्यन्ते: were possible/able
• शक्यन्ते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘are able/possible’

• गन्तुम्: to go/walk
• गन्तुम्: प्रयोजन/अन्वय (complement of śakyante)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• बहुजनाकुलाः: crowded with many people
• बहुजनाकुलाः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + जन + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; रथ्याः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘crowded with many people’)

• आरुह्य: having climbed
• आरुह्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रुह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• तस्मात्: अपादान/हेतु (cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of reason)

• प्रासादान्: palaces/terraces
• प्रासादान्: कर्म (object of āruhya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दीनाः: distressed
• दीनाः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; जनाः (understood) इति विशेषणम्

• पश्यन्ति: see/look at
• पश्यन्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• राघवम्: Rama
• राघवम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

The streets were so thronged with multitudes of citizens that they were impassable. Therefore, people felt miserable and ascended their mansions and gazed at Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Ayodhyā (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as a public reality: the people’s sorrow signals that the righteous order of the kingdom is felt collectively, not privately.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā’s streets are jammed with anxious citizens; unable to approach, they climb buildings to see Rāma as he passes.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The citizens’ devotion and concern for the righteous prince—an ethical bond between ruler (or heir) and the ruled.