Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 25

अयोध्यायां शोकविलापः

Lamentation in Ayodhya after Daśaratha’s death

Devanagari script

बाष्पपर्याकुलजना हाहाभूतकुलाङ्गना।शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्ता न बभ्राज यथापुरम्।।।।

Transliteration

bāṣpaparyākulajanā hāhābhūtakulāṅganā |

śūnyacatvaraveśmāntā na babhrāja yathāpuram ||

Translation

百姓泪乱心迷，家中妇女哀号“哎呀，哎呀！”，庭院与街市空寂无声；城邑不复往昔的光彩。

Word by Word

• bāṣpa-paryākula-janā: whose people were agitated with tears
• bāṣpa-paryākula-janā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + paryākula + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (बाष्पेण पर्याकुलो जनो यस्याः सा)

• hāhā-bhūta-kulāṅganā: whose noble women were wailing
• hāhā-bhūta-kulāṅganā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hāhā + bhūta + kula-aṅganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (हाहाकार-भूताः कुलाङ्गनाः यस्याः सा)

• śūnya-catvara-veśma-antā: with empty squares and house-courtyards
• śūnya-catvara-veśma-antā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūnya + catvara + veśma + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (शून्यानि चत्वराणि वेश्मान्तानि च यस्याः सा)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• babh­rāja: shone
• babh­rāja: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rāj (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; नकार-निषेधेन सह

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तुलनावाचक अव्यय (as/like)

• puram: formerly / as before
• puram: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्यय-यथापदेन सह (यथापुरम् = पूर्ववत्)

Context

With the people of Ayodhya shedding tears, the housewives crying, in anguish, 'alas alas' the courtyards houses and squares of the roads deserted, the city has lost itsearlier brilliance.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

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

It illustrates how a kingdom’s moral and emotional well-being is tied to dharmic stability in the royal household; when injustice and loss strike the throne, ordinary civic life collapses.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator depicts Ayodhyā’s public grief after the king’s death and the exile crisis.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The people’s loyalty and shared sense of righteousness is implied by their collective mourning and public lament.