Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 41, Shloka 16

अयोध्यायाः शोकप्रकम्पः

Ayodhya’s Tremor of Grief and Omens

Devanagari script

शोकपर्यायसन्तप्त स्सततं दीर्घमुच्छवसन्।अयोध्यायां जनस्सर्व श्शुशोच जगतीपतिम्।।2.41.16।।

Transliteration

śokaparyāyasantaptaḥ satataṃ dīrgham ucchvasan | ayodhyāyāṃ janaḥ sarvaḥ śuśoca jagatīpatim || 2.41.16 ||

Translation

在阿逾陀耶，众人被一波又一波的忧伤灼烧，不断长长叹息，为世间之主、他们的君王而哀恸。

Word by Word

• śokaparyāyasantaptaḥ: afflicted by repeated grief
• śokaparyāyasantaptaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka-paryāya-santapta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); जनः इति विशेषणम्; समास: शोक + पर्याय + सन्तप्त = 'afflicted by successive griefs'

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative): 'constantly'

• dīrgham: deeply/long
• dīrgham: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative): 'deeply/for long'

• ucchvasan: sighing
• ucchvasan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + √śvas (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); 'heaving/sighing'

• ayodhyāyām: in Ayodhyā
• ayodhyāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• janaḥ: the people
• janaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सामूहिक-एकवचन

• sarvaḥ: all
• sarvaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); जनः इति विशेषणम्

• śuśoca: lamented
• śuśoca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• jagatīpatim: the lord of the world
• jagatīpatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagatīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समास: जगती + पति = 'lord of the earth/world'

Context

All the citizens of Ayodhya, afflicted with a series of grief and heaving deep sighs ceaselessly bewailed at the sight of the lord of the world (Dasaratha).

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhya
• Daśaratha (implied by jagatīpati in this context)
• citizens

FAQs

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

It points to rājadharma’s human dimension: a king is not only an administrator but a moral guardian; when the royal house is shaken by adharma-like circumstances (unjust exile), the people suffer deeply.

What is the narrative situation?

The citizens of Ayodhya grieve intensely and sigh repeatedly, lamenting for their king (Daśaratha) amid the crisis caused by Rama’s exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The people’s loyalty and compassion toward their rulers, and the ideal of a king as ‘jagatīpati’—one who bears responsibility for all.