Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 6, Shloka 18

अयोध्यावर्णनम्

Description of Ayodhya under Daśaratha

Devanagari script

वर्णेष्वग्र्यचतुर्थेषु देवतातिथिपूजका:।कृतज्ञाश्च वदान्याश्च शूरा विक्रमसंयुता: ।।1.6.17।। दीर्घायुषो नरास्सर्वे धर्मं सत्यं च संश्रिता: ।सहिता: पुत्रपौत्रैश्च नित्यं स्त्रीभि: पुरोत्तमे ।।1.6.18।।

Transliteration

dīrghāyuṣo narāḥ sarve dharmaṁ satyaṁ ca saṁśritāḥ |

sahitāḥ putrapautraiś ca nityaṁ strībhiḥ purottame ||1.6.18||

Translation

Tất cả nam nhân đều sống lâu, nương tựa nơi dharma và chân thật; tại thành tối thượng ấy, họ luôn sum vầy cùng con cháu và thê thất.

Word by Word

• dīrghāyuṣaḥ: long-lived
• dīrghāyuṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; bahuvrīhi (दीर्घम् आयुः येषाम्)

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of narāḥ

• dharmam: righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• saṃśritāḥ: having resorted to / devoted to
• saṃśritāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃśrita (saṃ+√śri धातु, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; kta (PPP) used predicatively ‘having resorted to’; agrees with narāḥ

• sahitāḥ: accompanied
• sahitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (प्रातिपदिक; √sah धातु, क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Bahuvacana; kta (PPP) ‘accompanied’

• putra-pautraiḥ: with sons and grandsons
• putra-pautraiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra + pautra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana; dvandva ‘sons and grandsons’; saha-artha instrumental

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverbial accusative)

• strībhiḥ: with wives/women
• strībhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā Bahuvacana

• purottame: in the best of cities
• purottame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘best city’; adhikaraṇa

Context

There in Ayodhya the best of cities, the first of the four castes (brahmins) used to worship gods and guests. They had the sense of gratitude. They were munificient, heroic and possessed prowess. They lived long. They were righteous and truthful. And they lived together with their sons, grandsons and wives.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

Dharma and satya sustain both personal well-being (long life) and social well-being (stable family and community life).

What is the narrative situation?

The description culminates in the citizens’ adherence to dharma and truth, and their settled household life in Ayodhyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness (satya) as a lived social value, expressed through stability and harmony.