Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 13
अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः
The Night of Lamentation in Ayodhya and the Political Ethics of a Kingless Realm
Setting: अयोध्या/कोसल-जनपद (सामान्य-राज्य-परिसरः)Places named: जनपद, सत्राणि
नाराजके जनपदे यज्ञशीला द्विजातयः ।
सत्राण्यन्वासते दान्ता ब्राह्मणा स्संशितव्रताः ॥१३॥
nārājake janapade yajñaśīlā dvijātayaḥ |
satrāṇy anvāsate dāntā brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||13||
ในแว่นแคว้นที่ไร้พระราชา แม้พราหมณ์ทวิชะผู้สำรวม ผู้ตั้งมั่นในยัญพิธี และผู้เคร่งครัดในพรต ก็ไม่ดำเนินสัตรา คือพิธียัญยาวอันยิ่งใหญ่ต่อไป
Sandhi Notes
- नाराजके = न + अराजके
- सत्राण्यन्वासते = सत्राणि + अन्वासते
- ब्राह्मणा स्संशितव्रताः = ब्राह्मणाः + संशितव्रताः (विसर्ग-सन्धि/उच्चारणभेदः)
In a country without a king, self-controlled brahmins in charge of sacrificial ceremonies, well-versed in the study of Vedas and strict followers of austerity will not function.
The teaching
धर्मकर्माणि केवलं व्यक्तिगत-निष्ठया न, अपि तु राज्य-रक्षणेनापि स्थिराणि भवन्ति।
Duties in tension
- ब्राह्मणानां यज्ञ-निरन्तरता/व्रत-पालनम्
- राज्ये सुरक्षा-व्यवस्था (राजधर्म) अभावे आत्म-रक्षा/लोक-रक्षा
- Ethical theme
- राजधर्म बनाम कर्मधर्म
- How it resolves
- राज-व्यवस्था-स्थापन (अभिप्रेतम्)
For your practice
अनुष्ठानस्य स्थैर्याय बाह्य-शान्ति-आवश्यकता; साधकः स्व-परिस्थितिं धर्मानुकूलं कर्तुं प्रयतेत।
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)
- Mood
- धर्म-क्षय, व्रत-व्याघात, अशान्ति
Themes
- Dharma
- Rajadharma
- Ritual order
- Ethics
- Social stability
महाभारत शान्तिपर्व (राजा यज्ञस्य रक्षकः; अराजकत्वे धर्मकर्म-नाशः); भागवतपुराण (राजधर्मे यज्ञ-रक्षण-प्रसङ्गाः, सामान्य-साम्य)
श्रौत-परम्परा: सत्र-यज्ञाः (पञ्चविंश-ब्राह्मण/श्रौतसूत्र-संकेतः)
बालकाण्डे यज्ञ-रक्षा (विश्वामित्र-यज्ञ-रक्षणं) इति यज्ञ-रक्षण-थीमस्य प्रतिध्वनिः
अनुष्टुप्
Solemn
मन्द-गम्भीर, करुण-स्वर
FAQs
Dharma is interdependent: ritual and spiritual life require a secure, lawfully governed society. Without a king, even disciplined religious specialists cannot sustain public rites.
The speakers highlight the breakdown of sacrificial culture in a leaderless state, strengthening the argument that the kingdom must not remain without a ruler.
Śama and vrata-niṣṭhā (self-control and steadfast vows), paired with the recognition that personal virtue needs societal protection to flourish.
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