Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 7

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम्

Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Devanagari script

सशीतीकृत्य तु गात्राणि क्लान्तानाश्वास्य वाजिनः।

तत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च प्रायादादाय चोदकम्।।2.71.7।।

Transliteration

saśītīkṛtya tu gātrāṇi klāntān āśvāsya vājinaḥ | tatra snātvā ca pītvā ca prāyād ādāya codakam ||2.71.7||

Translation

他使众人肢体清凉，又安抚疲惫的战马；众人在那里沐浴饮水，随后再度启程，并携带清水同行。

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Word by Word

• saśītīkṛtya: having cooled
• saśītīkṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + śītī + kṛ (सम् + शीती + कृ) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); causative/denominative sense ‘having cooled’

• tu: then/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/अन्वयार्थक)

• gātrāṇi: limbs
• gātrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Plural

• klāntān: weary
• klāntān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: klānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) from √klam, Masculine Accusative Plural; qualifying vājinaḥ understood as object of āśvāsya

• āśvāsya: having refreshed
• āśvāsya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + śvas (आ + श्वस्) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having refreshed’

• vājinaḥ: horses
• vājinaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vājin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Plural (object intended; form identical to nominative plural in some stems; here as karma of āśvāsya)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa/Adhikaraṇa (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (स्ना) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (पा) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• prāyāt: set out/went
• prāyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + i (प्र + इ) (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + dā (आ + दा) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having taken’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• udakam: water
• udakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

Context

Then with the blessed prince (Bharata) on an excellent chariot, it (the army) moved through the vast and uninhabited forest like the god of wind passing through the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• horses (vājinaḥ)
• water (udaka)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes humane stewardship—care for animals and attendants is part of righteous conduct, even during urgent travel.

What is the narrative situation?

The traveling party pauses to bathe, drink, and restore the horses, then resumes the journey with stored water.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Consideration and discipline—Bharata’s expedition proceeds methodically, not recklessly.