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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 5: Ayodhyā’s layout and defences

Summary. The narrative introduces Kosala on the Sarayū and its capital, describing Ayodhyā’s roads, defences, markets and abundant provisions

Sequence

  1. The narrative now turns back to the beginning of Rāma's story, placing it in the Ikṣvāku dynasty, whose ancestors include Sagara and his sixty thousand sons (1.5.1–4)
  2. it introduces prosperous Kosala on the Sarayū and its capital Ayodhyā, built by Manu, twelve yojanas long and three wide (1.5.5–7)
  3. Daśaratha rules a city of broad avenues and a royal road continually sprinkled with water and strewn with flowers (1.5.8–9)
  4. its gates, markets, craftspeople, watchtowers, weapons, rampart, and deep moat make it busy and strongly defended (1.5.10–13)
  5. tributary Kings and merchants from many countries mingle among gardens, performers, jewel-adorned palaces, and closely built houses → grain is plentiful, water sweet, and drums, lutes, and cymbals fill the streets with music (1.5.14–19)
  6. the portrait closes with its trained warriors, skilled hunters, learned brāhmaṇas, sacred fires, generosity, and ṛṣis. (1.5.20–23)

Verses 1.5.1–23

1.5.1

sarvāpūrvam iyaṃ yeṣām āsīt kṛtsnā vasuṃdharā
prajāpatim upādāya nṛpāṇāṃ jayaśālinām

This whole earth in its entirety once belonged to those victorious kings, beginning with Prajāpati.

Words: sarvāpūrvam — wholly, from of old; iyaṃ — this; yeṣām — of/to whom (those kings); āsīt — was, belonged; kṛtsnā — entire, whole; vasuṃdharā — the earth; prajāpatim — Prajāpati; upādāya — beginning from, taking up; nṛpāṇāṃ — of the kings; jayaśālinām — victorious, endowed with victory

1.5.2

yeṣāṃ sa sagaro nāma sāgaro yena khānitaḥ
ṣaṣṭiḥ putrasahasrāṇi yaṃ yāntaṃ paryavārayan

Among them was the one named Sagara, by whom the ocean was dug out, whom his sixty thousand sons attended as he marched.

Words: yeṣāṃ — among whom; sa — that (famous one); sagaro — Sagara; nāma — by name; sāgaro — the ocean; yena — by whom; khānitaḥ — was dug out; ṣaṣṭiḥ — sixty; putrasahasrāṇi — thousands of sons; yaṃ — whom; yāntaṃ — going, as he marched; paryavārayan — surrounded, attended, escorted

1.5.3

ikṣvākūṇām idaṃ teṣāṃ rājñāṃ vaṃśe mahātmanām
mahad utpannam ākhyānaṃ rāmāyaṇam iti śrutam

In the lineage of those great-souled Ikṣvāku kings arose this great tale, known as the Rāmāyaṇa.

Words: ikṣvākūṇām — of the Ikṣvākus; idaṃ — this; teṣāṃ — of those; rājñāṃ — kings; vaṃśe — in the lineage, dynasty; mahātmanām — great-souled; mahad — great; utpannam — arisen, sprung up; ākhyānaṃ — tale, narrative; rāmāyaṇam — the Rāmāyaṇa; iti — thus (called); śrutam — is heard, known

1.5.4

tad idaṃ vartayiṣyāmi sarvaṃ nikhilam āditaḥ
dharmakāmārthasahitaṃ śrotavyam anasūyayā

This entire tale I shall now relate in full from the beginning — replete with dharma, artha, and kāma — to be heard without ill will.

Words: tad idaṃ — this very; vartayiṣyāmi — I shall relate, narrate; sarvaṃ — all, whole; nikhilam — entire, complete; āditaḥ — from the beginning; dharmakāmārthasahitaṃ — joined with dharma, kāma and artha; śrotavyam — to be heard; anasūyayā — without envy or spite, ungrudgingly

1.5.5

kosalo nāma muditaḥ sphīto janapado mahān
niviṣṭaḥ sarayūtīre prabhūtadhanadhānyavān

There is a great country named Kosala, joyous and flourishing, set upon the bank of the Sarayū, abounding in wealth and grain.

Words: kosalo — Kosala; nāma — by name; muditaḥ — joyous, glad; sphīto — flourishing, prosperous; janapado — country, region; mahān — great; niviṣṭaḥ — situated, established; sarayūtīre — on the bank of the Sarayū; prabhūtadhanadhānyavān — abounding in wealth and grain

1.5.6

ayodhyā nāma nagarī tatrāsīl lokaviśrutā
manunā mānavendreṇa yā purī nirmitā svayam

There stood a world-renowned city named Ayodhyā, which city was built by Manu himself, the lord of men.

Words: ayodhyā — Ayodhyā; nāma — by name; nagarī — city; tatrāsīl — was there; lokaviśrutā — world-renowned; manunā — by Manu; mānavendreṇa — by the lord of men; yā — which; purī — city; nirmitā — built, fashioned; svayam — himself, in person

1.5.7

āyatā daśa ca dve ca yojanāni mahāpurī
śrīmatī trīṇi vistīrṇā suvibhaktamahāpathā

The splendid great city stretched twelve yojanas in length and three in breadth, with its grand avenues well laid out.

Words: āyatā — extended, long; daśa ca dve ca — ten and two (twelve); yojanāni — yojanas; mahāpurī — the great city; śrīmatī — splendid, glorious; trīṇi — three; vistīrṇā — broad, extended (in width); suvibhaktamahāpathā — with well-laid-out grand avenues

1.5.8

rājamārgeṇa mahatā suvibhaktena śobhitā
muktapuṣpāvakīrṇena jalasiktena nityaśaḥ

It was adorned by a great, well-ordered royal highway, strewn with loose-cast flowers and sprinkled with water without cease.

Words: rājamārgeṇa — with a royal highway; mahatā — great; suvibhaktena — well-divided, well-ordered; śobhitā — adorned, made beautiful; muktapuṣpāvakīrṇena — strewn with cast-off flowers; jalasiktena — sprinkled with water; nityaśaḥ — constantly, without cease

1.5.9

tāṃ tu rājā daśaratho mahārāṣṭravivardhanaḥ
purīm āvāsayām āsa divi devapatir yathā

And King Daśaratha, enhancer of the great realm, dwelt in and peopled that city, as the lord of the gods dwells in heaven.

Words: tāṃ tu — and that; rājā — the king; daśaratho — Daśaratha; mahārāṣṭravivardhanaḥ — enhancer of the great realm; purīm — the city; āvāsayām āsa — peopled, made his abode in; divi — in heaven; devapatir — the lord of the gods (Indra); yathā — as, like

1.5.10

kapāṭatoraṇavatīṃ suvibhaktāntarāpaṇām
sarvayantrāyudhavatīm upetāṃ sarvaśilpibhiḥ

(That city) had gates and arched portals, with well-ordered inner markets, provided with every engine and weapon, and furnished with artisans of every kind;

Words: kapāṭatoraṇavatīṃ — having gates and arched portals; suvibhaktāntarāpaṇām — with well-ordered inner markets; sarvayantrāyudhavatīm — having all engines and weapons; upetāṃ — furnished with, endowed with; sarvaśilpibhiḥ — with all kinds of artisans

1.5.11

sūtamāgadhasaṃbādhāṃ śrīmatīm atulaprabhām
uccāṭṭāladhvajavatīṃ śataghnīśatasaṃkulām

thronged with bards and panegyrists, splendid, of matchless brilliance, having lofty watchtowers and banners, and bristling with hundreds of śataghnīs;

Words: sūtamāgadhasaṃbādhāṃ — thronged with bards and panegyrists; śrīmatīm — splendid, glorious; atulaprabhām — of matchless splendour; uccāṭṭāladhvajavatīṃ — having lofty watchtowers and banners; śataghnīśatasaṃkulām — crowded with hundreds of śataghnīs

1.5.12

vadhūnāṭakasaṅghaiś ca saṃyuktāṃ sarvataḥ purīm
udyānāmravaṇopetāṃ mahatīṃ sālamekhalām

the city on every side furnished with troupes of dancing-women and players, provided with pleasure-gardens and mango-groves, vast, and girdled with a rampart;

Words: vadhūnāṭakasaṅghaiś ca — and with troupes of dancing-women and players; saṃyuktāṃ — joined with, furnished with; sarvataḥ — on all sides, everywhere; purīm — the city; udyānāmravaṇopetāṃ — provided with gardens and mango-groves; mahatīṃ — great, vast; sālamekhalām — girdled with a rampart (or with sāla trees)

1.5.13

durgagambhīraparighāṃ durgām anyair durāsadām
vājivāraṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ gobhir uṣṭraiḥ kharais tathā

with a deep and impassable moat, a stronghold unassailable by foes, filled with horses and elephants, with cattle, camels, and asses as well;

Words: durgagambhīraparighāṃ — with a deep and impassable moat; durgām — a stronghold, fortress; anyair — by others (i.e. enemies); durāsadām — hard to assail, unassailable; vājivāraṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ — filled with horses and elephants; gobhir — with cattle; uṣṭraiḥ — with camels; kharais — with asses, donkeys; tathā — as well, likewise

1.5.14

sāmantarājasaṅghaiś ca balikarmabhir āvṛtām
nānādeśanivāsaiś ca vaṇigbhir upaśobhitām

thronged with hosts of vassal kings engaged in bringing tribute, and graced by merchants who dwelt there from many lands;

Words: sāmantarājasaṅghaiś ca — and with hosts of vassal kings; balikarmabhir — engaged in acts of tribute; āvṛtām — surrounded, thronged; nānādeśanivāsaiś ca — and with dwellers from various lands; vaṇigbhir — with merchants; upaśobhitām — adorned, graced

1.5.15

prasādai ratnavikṛtaiḥ parvatair upaśobhitām
kūṭāgāraiś ca saṃpūrṇām indrasyevāmarāvatīm

graced with jewel-wrought palaces towering like mountains, and full of turreted mansions — like Indra's Amarāvatī;

Words: prasādai — with palaces; ratnavikṛtaiḥ — wrought and adorned with jewels; parvatair — with mountains (i.e. mountain-like); upaśobhitām — graced, adorned; kūṭāgāraiś ca — and with turreted mansions; saṃpūrṇām — filled, full; indrasyevāmarāvatīm — like Indra's Amarāvatī

1.5.16

citrām aṣṭāpadākārāṃ varanārīgaṇair yutām
sarvaratnasamākīrṇāṃ vimānagṛhaśobhitām

brilliant, laid out foursquare like a chessboard, filled with troops of lovely women, strewn with jewels of every kind, resplendent with palatial mansions;

Words: citrām — brilliant, variegated, picturesque; aṣṭāpadākārāṃ — shaped like a chessboard; varanārīgaṇair — with troops of lovely women; yutām — filled with, joined with; sarvaratnasamākīrṇāṃ — strewn with all kinds of jewels; vimānagṛhaśobhitām — resplendent with palatial mansions

1.5.17

gṛhagāḍhām avicchidrāṃ samabhūmau niveśitām
śālitaṇḍulasaṃpūrṇām ikṣukāṇḍarasodakām

densely built with houses, with no gap between them, laid out upon level ground, abounding in rice and grain, its water sweet as the juice of sugarcane stalks;

Words: gṛhagāḍhām — dense with houses; avicchidrāṃ — without a gap, unbroken; samabhūmau — on level ground; niveśitām — built, established, settled; śālitaṇḍulasaṃpūrṇām — full of paddy and husked rice; ikṣukāṇḍarasodakām — with water like sugarcane-stalk juice

1.5.18

dundubhībhir mṛdaṅgaiś ca vīṇābhiḥ paṇavais tathā
nāditāṃ bhṛśam atyarthaṃ pṛthivyāṃ tām anuttamām

resounding exceedingly with kettledrums, tabors, lutes, and cymbals — that city unequalled upon the earth;

Words: dundubhībhir — with kettledrums; mṛdaṅgaiś ca — and with tabors; vīṇābhiḥ — with lutes (vīṇās); paṇavais — with small drums, cymbals; tathā — likewise, as well; nāditāṃ — made to resound, ringing; bhṛśam — exceedingly, greatly; atyarthaṃ — beyond measure, excessively; pṛthivyāṃ — on the earth; tām — that (city); anuttamām — unequalled, peerless

1.5.19

vimānam iva siddhānāṃ tapasādhigataṃ divi
suniveśitaveśmāntāṃ narottamasamāvṛtām

like the aerial palace of the Siddhas won in heaven by austerity; with its dwellings well laid out, thronged with the noblest of men —

Words: vimānam iva — like an aerial palace, celestial car; siddhānāṃ — of the Siddhas (perfected beings); tapasādhigataṃ — won by austerity; divi — in heaven; suniveśitaveśmāntāṃ — with its house-interiors well laid out; narottamasamāvṛtām — thronged with the best of men

1.5.20

ye ca bāṇair na vidhyanti viviktam aparāparam
śabdavedhyaṃ ca vitataṃ laghuhastā viśāradāḥ

and skilled, nimble-handed men who would not loose their arrows at a target isolated, indistinct, spread out, or to be struck by sound alone;

Words: ye ca — and who; bāṇair — with arrows; na vidhyanti — do not pierce, shoot; viviktam — an isolated, solitary (target); aparāparam — one indistinct, one after another; śabdavedhyaṃ ca — and one to be pierced by sound (alone); vitataṃ — spread out, extended (target); laghuhastā — light-handed, nimble-handed; viśāradāḥ — skilled, expert

1.5.21

siṃhavyāghravarāhāṇāṃ mattānāṃ nadatāṃ vane
hantāro niśitaiḥ śastrair balād bāhubalair api

but who were slayers of lions, tigers, and boars — furious and roaring in the forest — with sharp weapons, or forcibly even by the strength of their arms.

Words: siṃhavyāghravarāhāṇāṃ — of lions, tigers, and boars; mattānāṃ — furious, rutting, frenzied; nadatāṃ — roaring, bellowing; vane — in the forest; hantāro — slayers, killers; niśitaiḥ — with sharp(ened); śastrair — weapons; balād — by force, forcibly; bāhubalair — by strength of arm; api — even, also

1.5.22

tādṛśānāṃ sahasrais tām abhipūrṇāṃ mahārathaiḥ
purīm āvāsayām āsa rājā daśarathas tadā

That city, filled with thousands of such great chariot-warriors, King Daśaratha then peopled.

Words: tādṛśānāṃ — of such (men); sahasrais — with thousands; tām — that; abhipūrṇāṃ — filled, thronged; mahārathaiḥ — with great chariot-warriors; purīm — the city; āvāsayām āsa — peopled, caused to be inhabited; rājā — the king; daśarathas — Daśaratha; tadā — then

1.5.23

tām agnimadbhir guṇavadbhir āvṛtāṃ dvijottamair vedaṣaḍaṅgapāragaiḥ
sahasradaiḥ satyaratair mahātmabhir maharṣikalpair ṛṣibhiś ca kevalaiḥ

That city was thronged with the best of brahmins — maintainers of the sacred fires, virtuous, masters of the Vedas and the six Vedāṅgas, givers of thousands in alms, devoted to truth, great-souled and like unto the great seers — and with sages pure and perfect.

Words: tām — that (city); agnimadbhir — maintaining the sacred fires; guṇavadbhir — virtuous, endowed with good qualities; āvṛtāṃ — thronged, filled, surrounded; dvijottamair — with the best of the twice-born (brahmins); vedaṣaḍaṅgapāragaiḥ — masters of the Vedas and six Vedāṅgas; sahasradaiḥ — givers of thousands (in alms); satyaratair — devoted to truth; mahātmabhir — great-souled; maharṣikalpair — resembling great seers; ṛṣibhiś ca — and with seers; kevalaiḥ — pure, unalloyed, perfect (ascetics)

← 1.4 Kuśa & Lava perform the poem · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.6 Daśaratha and Ayodhyā’s inhabitants →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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