Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 20
अयोध्यानगरवर्णनम्
Description of Ayodhya and the Ikshvaku Royal Setting
ये च बाणैर्न विध्यन्ति विविक्तमपरापरम् ।शब्दवेध्यं च विततं लघुहस्ता विशारदा: ।।।।सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाणां मत्तानां नर्दतां वने ।हन्तारो निशितैश्शस्त्रैर्बलाद्बाहुबलैरपि ।।।।तादृशानां सहस्रैस्तामभिपूर्णां महारथै: ।पुरीमावासयामास राजा दशरथस्तदा ।।।।
ye ca bāṇair na vidhyanti viviktam aparāparam | śabdavedhyaṃ ca vitataṃ laghuhastā viśāradāḥ ||
siṃhavyāghravarāhāṇāṃ mattānāṃ nardatāṃ vane | hantāro niśitaiḥ śastrair balād bāhubalair api ||
tādṛśānāṃ sahasrais tām abhipūrṇāṃ mahārathaiḥ | purīm āvāsayāmāsa rājā daśarathas tadā ||
那座城中充满了成千上万的摩诃战车勇士（mahāratha），手法迅捷而精熟：他们不以箭射孤身无援之人；追逐逃敌时，亦能循声而中。于林野之中，他们凭锋利兵刃与强健臂力，足以斩杀咆哮、发情狂暴的狮、虎与野猪。正是在这样的阿踰陀（Ayodhyā），檀舍罗陀王（Daśaratha）居住并治理国土。
The city was inhabited by thousands of warriors known as maharathas. They were skilled archers and sharp-handed. They would not pierce with arrows, solitary persons, persons without defence, fleeing foes who could be tracked down through hints from sound. With sharp arrows or with the strength of their arms, they would killroaring and inebriated lions, tigers, boars etc. in the forest. It was in that city (of Ayodhya) that king Dasaratha lived.
FAQs
Yuddha-dharma: true warriors restrain violence—refusing to shoot the solitary and defenseless—while using their power to protect society from real threats.
The narrator describes Ayodhyā’s elite warriors and then situates King Daśaratha as the ruler dwelling in such a well-defended capital.
Disciplined valor: strength governed by ethical restraint and protective purpose.