Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.40 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 40

भरद्वाजाश्रमे भरतसैन्यस्य दिव्यात्मिथ्यम् / Divine Hospitality to Bharata’s Army at Bharadvaja’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

आनुपूर्व्यान्निषेदुश्च सर्वे मन्त्रिपुरोहिताः।ततस्सेनापतिः पश्चात्प्रशास्ताच निषेदतुः।।।।

Transliteration

ānupūrvyān niṣeduś ca sarve mantri-purohitāḥ | tataḥ senāpatiḥ paścāt praśāstā ca niṣedatuḥ ||

Translation

پھر سب وزیر اور پُروہت ترتیب کے ساتھ بیٹھ گئے؛ اس کے بعد سپہ سالار اور پھر نگران (پرشاستا) بھی اپنی اپنی جگہ بیٹھ گئے۔

Word by Word

• ānupūrvyāt: from/according to proper sequence
• ānupūrvyāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānupūrvya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial use = "in due order"

• niṣeduḥ: sat down
• niṣeduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√sad (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with mantri-purohitāḥ

• mantri-purohitāḥ: ministers and priests
• mantri-purohitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin + purohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय)

• senāpatiḥ: the army-chief
• senāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रमवाचक अव्यय)

• praśāstā: the superintendent/overseer
• praśāstā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praśāstṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• niṣedatuḥ: the two sat down
• niṣedatuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√sad (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन)

Context

First the ministers and priests took their respective seats in accordance with their rank, and then the army chief and finally the supervisor of the camp.

Characters & Entities

• ministers
• priests
• senāpati (army chief)

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as maryādā—observance of rank and procedure—showing that order and respect stabilize collective life even in moments of transition.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata’s party is seated formally within the arranged residence, following hierarchical protocol.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and institutional harmony—each person knows and keeps their proper place.