Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 15, Shloka 37

अभिषेकसज्जा तथा सुमन्त्रस्य प्रेषणम्

Coronation Preparations and Sumantra’s Commission

Devanagari script

महाकवाटविहितं वितर्दिशतशोभितम्।।2.15.32।।काञ्चनप्रतिमैकाग्रं मणिविद्रुमतोरणम्। शारदाभ्रघनप्रख्यं दीप्तं मेरुगुहोपमम्।।2.15.33।।मणिभिर्वरमाल्यानां समुहद्भिरलंकृतम्।मुक्तामणिभिराकीर्णं चन्दनागरूधूपितम्।।2.15.34।।गन्धान्मनोज्ञान् विसृजद्दार्दुरं शिखरं यथा।सारसैश्च मयूरैश्च विनदद्भिर्विराजितम्।।2.15.35।।सुकृतेहामृगाकीर्णं सुकीर्णं भक्तिभिस्तथा।मनश्चक्षुश्च भूतानामाददत्तिग्मतेजसा।।2.15.36।।चन्द्रभास्करसङ्काशं कुबेरभवनोपमम्।महेन्द्रधामप्रतिमं नानापक्षिसमाकुलम्।।2.15.37।।मेरुशृङ्गसमं सूतो रामवेश्म ददर्श ह।उपस्थितैःसमाकीर्णं जनैरञ्जलिकारिभिः।।2.15.38।।उपादाय समाक्रान्तैस्तथा जानपदैर्जनैः।रामाभिषेकसुमुखैरुन्मुखैस्समलंकृतम्।।2.15.39।।महामेघसमप्रख्यमुदग्रं सुविभूषितम्।नानारत्नसमाकीर्णं कुब्जकैरातकावृतम्।।2.15.40।।

Transliteration

mahākavāṭavihitaṃ vitardiśataśobhitam || 2.15.32 ||

kāñcanapratimaikāgraṃ maṇividrumatōraṇam |

śāradābhraghanaprakhyaṃ dīptaṃ mēruguhōpamam || 2.15.33 ||

maṇibhir varamālyānāṃ samūhadbhir alaṅkṛtam |

muktāmaṇibhir ākīrṇaṃ candanāgarudhūpitam || 2.15.34 ||

gandhān manojñān visṛjad dārduraṃ śikharaṃ yathā |

sārasaiś ca mayūraiś ca vinadadbhir virājitam || 2.15.35 ||

sukṛtēhāmṛgākīrṇaṃ sukīrṇaṃ bhaktibhis tathā |

manaś cakṣuś ca bhūtānām ādadat tigma-tejasā || 2.15.36 ||

candrabhāskarasaṅkāśaṃ kubērabhavanōpamam |

mahēndradhāmapratimaṃ nānāpakṣisamākulam || 2.15.37 ||

mēruśṛṅgasamaṃ sūto rāmavēśma dadarśa ha |

upasthitaiḥ samākīrṇaṃ janair añjalikāribhiḥ || 2.15.38 ||

upādāya samākrāntais tathā jānapadair janaiḥ |

rāmābhiṣēkasumukhair unmukhaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam || 2.15.39 ||

mahāmēghasamaprakhyam udagraṃ suvibhūṣitam |

nānāratnasamākīrṇaṃ kubjakairātakāvṛtam || 2.15.40 ||

Translation

สุมนตราได้เห็นพระราชวังของพระราม: มั่นคงด้วยประตูใหญ่คู่มหึมา ประดับด้วยระเบียงนับร้อย; ยอดวังมีรูปทองคำ และซุ้มประตูแก้วมณีกับปะการังแดง. สว่างดุจเมฆหนาในฤดูสารท และเรืองรองประหนึ่งคูหาบนเขาพระเมรุ. ตกแต่งด้วยพวงมาลัยอันประเสริฐและรัตนะนานา โปรยด้วยมุกดา อบอวลด้วยจันทน์และกฤษณา แผ่กลิ่นหอมชวนใจดุจยอดดารฺทุระ. งามด้วยเสียงร้องของนกสารัสและนกยูง เต็มด้วยลวดลายแกะสลักประณีตและเครื่องประดับวิจิตร จนแสงอันคมกล้าดึงดูดทั้งใจและตาของสรรพสัตว์. รุ่งโรจน์ดุจจันทร์และสุริยะ ประหนึ่งวิมานท้าวกุเบร และเสมอด้วยที่ประทับแห่งมหेนทร (พระอินทร์) มีนกนานาพันธุ์ชุมนุม. สูงดุจยอดเมรุ แน่นขนัดด้วยผู้คนที่มาด้วยอัญชลี และชาวชนบทผู้หอบหิ้วเครื่องบรรณาการ—เงยหน้ารอคอยพิธีอภิษेकของพระราม. สูงใหญ่และงดงามดุจมหาเมฆ ประดับประดาอย่างวิจิตร อัดแน่นด้วยรัตนะนานา และยังคลาคล่ำด้วยคนหลังค่อมและพวกกิราตะ (พรานป่า) ด้วย

Word by Word

• चन्द्रभास्करसङ्काशम्: like the moon and the sun
• चन्द्रभास्करसङ्काशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र + भास्कर + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद (चन्द्रश्च भास्करश्च) + ‘सङ्काश’ (like)

• कुबेरभवनोपमम्: like Kubera's mansion
• कुबेरभवनोपमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुबेर + भवन + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुबेरस्य भवनस्य उपमम्)

• महेन्द्रधामप्रतिमम्: resembling Mahendra's abode
• महेन्द्रधामप्रतिमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेन्द्र + धामन् + प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महेन्द्रस्य धाम्नः प्रतिमम्)

• नानापक्षिसमाकुलम्: crowded with various birds
• नानापक्षिसमाकुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना + पक्षि + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; तृतीया/बहुव्रीह्यर्थः: ‘नानापक्षिभिः समाकुलम्’

Context

The charioteer (Sumantra) beheld Rama's palace closed with two heavy-panelled doors. Adorned with hundreds of galleries, it had a peak mounted with golden idols. The arches were studded with different gems and corals. Bright like dense autumnal cloud, it shone like the cave of mount Meru. It was ornamented with excellent garlands and precious diamonds. Pearls were strewn around. Decorated with sandal and aloe wood, it emitted, like the peak of mount Dardura, captivating fragrance৷৷ Sarasas and peacocks were singing sweetly. The palace was full of skilfully carved images of deer and other embellishments. It attracted the minds and the eyes of all living beings with brilliant splendour. Resplendent like the Sun and the Moon, it looked like the abode of Kubera and a reflected image of the abode of Mahendra. It was crowded with birds of various kinds. In height it was equal to the peak of mount Meru. Villagers thronged the palace with gifts, eagerly waiting with folded hands to see the spectacle of Rama's coronation. Lofty, it looked like a vast cloud. Well-decked and filled with various gems, it was crowded with hunchbacks and kiratas (hunters) too.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Rāma
• Rāmaveśma (Rāma’s palace)
• Meru
• Kailāsa (implicit by earlier context, not in these pādas)
• Kubera
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Candra (Moon)
• Bhāskara (Sun)
• Dārdura (mountain)
• sārasa (cranes)
• mayūra (peacocks)
• Kirāta (hunters)

FAQs

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

The palace imagery supports the Ramayana’s dharmic ideal of kingship: prosperity, beauty, and public order are presented as the outward signs of a righteous succession, welcomed by the people in a spirit of reverence and social harmony.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra arrives at Rāma’s residence and observes its grandeur and the crowds gathered with offerings and folded hands, anticipating the coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lokānurāga (public goodwill) toward a dharmic ruler, and śraddhā (reverent anticipation) shown by the assembled people awaiting Rāma’s abhiṣeka.