Shloka 21

जनकदूतागमनम्

The Arrival of Janaka’s Messengers in Ayodhya

Devanagari script

जनकेन समादिष्टा दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहना:।त्रिरात्रमुषिता मार्गे तेऽयोध्यां प्राविशन् पुरीम्।।1.68.1।।

Transliteration

mantriṇas tu narendrasya rātriṁ paramasatkṛtāḥ |

ūṣuḥ te muditāḥ sarve guṇaiḥ sarvais samanvitāḥ ||

Translation

奉阇那迦之命，那些使者因坐骑疲惫，在路上停留三夜，随后进入阿逾陀城。

Word by Word

• janakena: by Janaka
• janakena: Kartr̥-karaṇa (कर्ता-हेतु/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

• samādiṣṭāḥ: commanded
• samādiṣṭāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-diś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘commanded’

• dūtāḥ: messengers
• dūtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom pl)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom pl)

• klānta-vāhanāḥ: with tired mounts
• klānta-vāhanāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: klānta (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘whose mounts/vehicles are tired’

• trirātram: for three nights
• trirātram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trirātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (tri + rātra); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg) — duration

• uṣitāḥ: having stayed
• uṣitāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past active participle in sense); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘having stayed/spent’

• mārge: on the way
• mārge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc sg)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom pl)

• ayodhyām: Ayodhya
• ayodhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)

• prāviśan: entered
• prāviśan: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); apposition to ‘ayodhyām’

Context

"O Great monarch Mithila's lord, king Janaka, with the sacred fire in front again and again enquires about your health and the spiritual wellbeing of your preceptors, priests and attendants in words filled with sweetness and affection.

Characters & Entities

• Ministers/counsellors
• Daśaratha (implied by ‘king’)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes satkāra (proper honoring): the righteous court ensures guests and counsellors are respected, sustaining harmony and good governance.

What is the narrative situation?

After the decision to depart, the court spends the night in honored, contented readiness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective virtue and contentment arising from honor, discipline, and shared commitment to a dharmic course.