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Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 21

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm

नाराजके जनपदे शरान्सन्ततमस्यताम्।श्रूयते तलनिर्घोष इष्वस्त्राणामुपासने।।।।

nārājake janapade śarān santatam asyatām | śrūyate talanirghoṣa iṣvastrāṇām upāsane ||

రాజులేని జనపదంలో నిరంతరం బాణాలు విడిచే అభ్యాసం క్షీణిస్తుంది; ధనుస్సు తాడి తలపై తాకి వినిపించే కటుక ధ్వనিও ఇక వినబడదు, ఆయుధవిద్య సాధన కూడా శిథిలమవుతుంది॥

nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
arājakein a kingless (state)
arājake:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-rājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
janapadein the country
janapade:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootjanapada (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
śarānarrows
śarān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
santatamcontinuously
santatam:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsantata (प्रातिपदिक)
Formक्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभाव (adverbial accusative; indeclinable usage)
asyatām(let them) shoot/throw
asyatām:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (धातु; अस् = क्षेपणे)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; विधिलिङ्-प्रायः प्रयोगः—"let them shoot" (आज्ञार्थ)
śrūyateis heard
śrūyate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√śru (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive: is heard)
talanirghoṣaḥthe sound of the tala (arm-guard)
talanirghoṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता; of passive)
TypeNoun
Roottala-nirghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक; तल + निर्घोष)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तलस्य निर्घोषः)
iṣvastrāṇāmof arrows and weapons
iṣvastrāṇām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootiṣu-astra (प्रातिपदिक; इषु + अस्त्र)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (इषवश्च अस्त्राणि च)
upāsanein practice/training
upāsane:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootupāsana (प्रातिपदिक; उप + √ās (धातु) से ल्युट्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

In a country without a king, the sounds of the ceaseless discharge of arrows and practice of weapons, the clappings of the cord on the skin shield of shooters throwing the arrows are no longer heard.

J
janapada (realm)
T
tala (protective hand-guard)

FAQs

Rajadharma: a rightful king sustains public discipline and preparedness; without governance, even constructive training for protection and duty falls silent.

After the crisis in Ayodhya, elders and counselors argue that the realm must not remain leaderless; they list concrete signs of decline in an unruled country.

Responsibility in leadership: the virtue of maintaining order and readiness so society can fulfill its duties (including defense) lawfully.