Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.22 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 22

द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः

Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments

Devanagari script

इत्येवं विलपन् राजा जनौघेनाभिसंवृतः।अपस्नात इवारिष्टं प्रविवेश पुरोत्तमम्।।।।

Transliteration

ity evaṃ vilapan rājā janaughenābhisaṃvṛtaḥ |

apasnāta ivāriṣṭaṃ praviveśa purottamam ||

Translation

คร่ำครวญดังนี้ พระราชาผู้ถูกฝูงชนห้อมล้อม เสด็จเข้าสู่นครอันประเสริฐ (อโยธยา) ประหนึ่งผู้ทำอัปสนาตะ อาบน้ำอัปมงคล ราวกับถูกหมายด้วยเคราะห์ร้ายที่กำลังมาเยือน

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (उक्तिसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-निपातः (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (manner adverb)

• विलपन्: lamenting
• विलपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जनौघेन: by the multitude of people
• जनौघेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन-ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (जनानाम् ओघः)

• अभिसंवृतः: surrounded
• अभिसंवृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-सम्-वृत (धातु; √वृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘surrounded’

• अपस्नातः: one who has taken an inauspicious bath
• अपस्नातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप-स्नात (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (one who has taken inauspicious bath)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्ययम् (simile marker)

• अरिष्टम्: an ill-omen/inauspicious state
• अरिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमेयम् (as ominous thing/state)

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• पुरोत्तमम्: the best city
• पुरोत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (पुराणाम् उत्तमम्)

Context

Thus the king, who looked like one after the inauspicious (funeral) bath, surroundedby streams of people entered the most beautiful city (Ayodhya) which portended misfortune.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

A ruler’s private unrighteous crisis becomes a public wound: dharma links king and kingdom, so the monarch’s moral and emotional collapse signals disorder for society.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha returns into Ayodhyā after the irreversible decision of Rāma’s exile, and the city’s mood mirrors the king’s grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The people’s solidarity and concern are emphasized—they gather around the king, reflecting civic loyalty and shared sorrow.