← 2.42.2 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 42: The citizens return to Ayodhyā without Rāma · 2.42.4 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.42.3
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 42: The citizens return to Ayodhyā without Rāma. Families reproach the men for returning without Rāma and imagine abandoning Kaikeyī’s Kingdom to join him
In the sequence: The returning citizens reach their families in despair; shops and household cooking remain neglected
2.42.3
na cāhṛṣyan na cāmodan vaṇijo na prasārayan
na cāśobhanta paṇyāni nāpacan gṛhamedhinaḥ
They neither rejoiced nor took delight; the merchants did not display their wares; the goods gave no luster; the householders did not cook.
Words: na — not; cāhṛṣyan — and did they thrill with joy; na — not; cāmodan — and were glad; vaṇijo — the merchants; na — not; prasārayan — did display, spread out (wares); na — not; cāśobhanta — and did shine; paṇyāni — the wares, goods; nāpacan — did not cook; gṛhamedhinaḥ — the householders
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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.