Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 7, Shloka 4

मन्थराप्रवेशः

Manthara Observes Ayodhya and Incites Kaikeyi

Devanagari script

पताकाभिर्वरार्हाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलङ्कृताम्।वृतां छन्दपथैश्चापि शिरस्स्नातजनैर्वृताम्।।2.7.3।।माल्यमोदकहस्तैश्च द्विजेन्द्रैरभिनादिताम्।शुक्लदेवगृहद्वारां सर्ववादित्रनिस्वनाम्।।2.7.4।।सम्प्रहृष्टजनाकीर्णां ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादिताम्।प्रहृष्टवरहस्त्यश्वां सम्प्रणर्दितगोवृषाम्।।2.7.5।।प्रहृष्टमुदितैः पौरैरुच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनीम्।अयोध्यां मन्थरा दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागता।।2.7.6।।

Transliteration

patākābhir varārhābhir dhvajaiś ca samalaṅkṛtām |

vṛtāṃ chandapathaiś cāpi śirassnātajanair vṛtām || 2.7.3 ||

mālyamodakahastaiś ca dvijendrair abhināditām |

śukladevagṛhadvārāṃ sarvavāditranisvanām || 2.7.4 ||

samprahṛṣṭajanākīrṇāṃ brahmaghoṣābhināditām |

prahṛṣṭavarahastyaśvāṃ sampraṇarditagovṛṣām || 2.7.5 ||

prahṛṣṭamuditaiḥ paurair ucchritadhvajamālinīm |

ayodhyāṃ mantharā dṛṣṭvā paraṃ vismayam āgatā || 2.7.6 ||

Translation

曼塔拉望见阿踰陀：以珍贵的旗幡与旌旗庄严装饰；曲折的街道上，满是沐浴净身的人群。城中回荡着尊贵婆罗门手持花鬘与甜食所诵的吠陀梵音，又有各类乐器的声响齐鸣。欢喜的众人拥塞道路；良驯而雄健的象马精神抖擞；牛与公牛的哞鸣与吼声此起彼伏。市民欣悦高举彩幡花鬘环绕城郭——见此盛景，曼塔拉惊异至极。

Word by Word

• माल्य: garland(s)
• माल्य: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc) एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound)

• मोदक: sweetmeat(s)
• मोदक: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound)

• हस्तैः: with hands
• हस्तैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr/करण) बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विजेन्द्रैः: by the best of brahmins
• द्विजेन्द्रैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr/करण) बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive tatpurusha): द्विजानाम् इन्द्राः = best of brahmins

• अभिनादिताम्: reverberating/echoed
• अभिनादिताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-नद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘echoed/reverberated’

• शुक्ल: white
• शुक्ल: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound), विशेषणार्थ (qualifier)

• देवगृह: temple
• देवगृह: सम्बन्ध (Genitival relation within compound/समाससम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गृह (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: देवानां गृहं = temple

• द्वाराम्: having doors/doorways
• द्वाराम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन; समासान्तपद (final member in compound)

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: विशेषण-उपपद (Qualifier within compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound), सर्वत्वबोधक (denoting ‘all’)

• वादित्र: musical instruments
• वादित्र: सम्बन्ध (Relation within compound/समाससम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद; वाद्यविशेषः (musical instrument)

• निस्वनाम्: resounding with sounds
• निस्वनाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/कर्म) एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: वादित्राणां निस्वनः = sound of instruments

Context

The city of Ayodhya was decorated with costly banners and pennants. The labyrinthine roads were crowded with people who had (finished) their head-bath and were wandering at will. The temples with their doors painted white were reverberating with the chanting from the Vedas by the best of brahmins holding garlands and sweetmeats in their hands and with sounds of all kinds of musical instruments. The city was filled with spirited horses and elephants. The bulls werebellowing and the cows were lowing. The citizens with great joy raised the penants encircling the city of Ayodhya. All this left Manthara astonished.

Characters & Entities

• Mantharā
• Ayodhyā
• brāhmaṇas (dvijendra)
• citizens (paura)
• elephants
• horses
• cows
• bulls
• banners/flags (patākā, dhvaja)

FAQs

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

Dharma is reflected as social and ritual order: citizens observe purification (head-bath), brāhmaṇas uphold sacred recitation, and the city collectively celebrates a righteous royal transition—public joy anchored in religious propriety.

What is the narrative situation?

Ayodhyā is in festive preparation for the royal consecration (abhiṣeka) atmosphere; Mantharā witnesses the city’s auspicious celebration and is astonished, setting the stage for her reaction and later counsel to Kaikeyī.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective civic virtue: the citizens’ harmony, devotion, and disciplined celebration—showing loyalty to the kingdom’s dhārmic order.