Valmiki Ramayana 2.67.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 14

अयोध्यायां शोक-रात्रिः तथा अराजक-राष्ट्रस्य नीतिविचारः

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

Devanagari script

नाराजके जनपदे महायज्ञेषु यज्वनः ।

ब्राह्मणा वसुसम्पन्ना विसृजन्त्याप्तदक्षिणाः ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.67.14

Transliteration

nārājake janapade mahāyajñeṣu yajvanaḥ |

brāhmaṇā vasusampannā visṛjanty āptadakṣiṇāḥ ||14||

Translation

ในแว่นแคว้นที่ไร้พระราชา พราหมณ์ผู้มั่งคั่งซึ่งเป็นยัชมานในมหายัญ ย่อมไม่แจกจ่ายทักษิณาและทานอันควรแก่พราหมณ์ผู้ประกอบพิธี

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Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• arājake: in a kingless (state)
• arājake: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-rājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• janapade: in the country
• janapade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• mahāyajñeṣu: in great sacrifices
• mahāyajñeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-yajña (प्रातिपदिक; महा + यज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् यज्ञः)

• yajvanaḥ: officiating priests
• yajvanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajvan (प्रातिपदिक; √yaj (धातु) से वन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• vasusampannāḥ: wealthy
• vasusampannāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vasu-sampanna (प्रातिपदिक; वसु + सम्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वसुभिः सम्पन्नाः)

• visṛjanti: give/offer/distribute
• visṛjanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• āptadakṣiṇāḥ: having ample fees (gifts)
• āptadakṣiṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpta-dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक; आप्त + दक्षिणा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आप्ता/पर्याप्ता दक्षिणा येषाम्)

Context

In a country without a king wealthy brahmins, who have performed great sacrifices, do not offer abundance of gifts to the officiating priests.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (brahmins)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fee/gift)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes dharmic reciprocity: giving (dāna/dakṣiṇā) sustains sacred work, but generosity weakens when governance and security collapse.

What is the narrative situation?

The argument continues that leaderlessness harms not only politics but also the ritual economy—fees and gifts that maintain priestly functions cease to flow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dāna (charitable giving) as a social virtue—shown as dependent on stable rajadharma that protects wealth and trust.