Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 11, Shloka 26

ऋष्यशृङ्गानयनम् — Bringing Ṛśyaśṛṅga to Ayodhyā

Bālakāṇḍa, Sarga 11

Devanagari script

ततस्स्वलङ्कृतं राजा नगरं प्रविवेश ह।शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषै: पुरस्कृत्य द्विजर्षभम्।।1.11.26।।

Transliteration

tatas svalaṅkṛtaṁ rājā nagaraṁ praviveśa ha |

śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaiḥ puraskṛtya dvijarṣabham ||1.11.26||

Translation

Rồi đức vua tiến vào kinh thành rực rỡ trang nghiêm; giữa tiếng tù và ốc và trống dồn vang, ngài tôn vị thượng thủ Bà-la-môn đi đầu dẫn đường.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb

• su-alaṅkṛtam: well-decorated
• su-alaṅkṛtam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + alaṅkṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); qualifying nagaram

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• nagaram: the city
• nagaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed (narrative)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), narrative particle (स्म/ह-निपात)

• śaṅkha-dundubhi-nirghoṣaiḥ: with conch-and-drum sounds
• śaṅkha-dundubhi-nirghoṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + dundubhi (प्रातिपदिक) + nirghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); compound: 'with the sound (nirghoṣa) of conches and drums' (itaretara within, overall tatpuruṣa)

• puraskṛtya: placing in front
• puraskṛtya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: puras-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), 'having placed in front/honoured'

• dvija-ṛṣabham: the foremost brahmin
• dvija-ṛṣabham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense: 'bull/foremost among twice-born (brahmins)'

Context

Then the king entered that well-decorated city amidst blares of conches and the beating of drums, with the best of the brahmins (Rsyasringa) in the forefront.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā (implied)
• R̥śyaśṛṅga (as dvijarṣabha)
• Śaṅkha (conch)
• Dundubhi (drum)

FAQs

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

Honouring spiritual excellence: society and rulers uphold dharma by placing learned and virtuous brāhmaṇas in positions of respect.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha ceremonially enters Ayodhyā with music and public celebration, leading with R̥śyaśṛṅga.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s humility and devotion to dharma—he foregrounds the sage rather than royal display.