Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.1 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 1

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

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

Devanagari script

आक्रन्दितनिरानन्दा सास्रकण्ठजनाकुला।अयोध्यायामवतता सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी।।।।

Transliteration

ākranditanirānandā sāsrakaṇṭhajanākulā | ayodhyāyām avatatā sā vyatīyāya śarvarī ||

Translation

ในอโยธยา ความยินดีสิ้นสูญเพราะเสียงร่ำไห้ ผู้คนแน่นขนัดด้วยลำคอสะอื้นอาบน้ำตา คืนนั้นยืดยาวราวไม่สิ้นสุด แล้วในที่สุดก็ผ่านพ้นไป

Word by Word

• ākrandita-nirānandā: made joyless by lamentation
• ākrandita-nirānandā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākrandita + nir-ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (आक्रन्दितेन निरानन्दा या सा)

• sāsrakaṇṭha-jana-ākulā: crowded with sobbing people
• sāsrakaṇṭha-jana-ākulā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāsra-kaṇṭha + jana + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (आस्रकण्ठैः जनैः आकुला)

• ayodhyāyām: in Ayodhya
• ayodhyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• avatatā: stretched out/long
• avatatā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-tan (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (शर्वरी)

• sā: that
• sā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vyatīyāya: passed away
• vyatīyāya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ati-i (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śarvarī: night
• śarvarī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

The night stretched interminably in Ayodhya, which was filled with sobbing people rendered cheerless by their lamentations.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

When dharma in the royal household is shaken, the entire city shares the burden; the verse shows how moral-political disorder becomes collective suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā spends a night in communal mourning following the upheavals of exile and the king’s death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not an individual virtue but civic solidarity: the city grieves together, indicating deep attachment to righteous order.