# Bāla Kāṇḍa 6 — Daśaratha and Ayodhyā’s inhabitants *Daśaratha rules a prosperous and disciplined population, supported by trained warriors, fine horses and powerful elephants* Portion: Descriptions of Ayodhyā · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 1.6. ## Sequence - The narrator describes Daśaratha as learned, far-sighted, self-controlled, powerful, rich in allies, and loved by town and countryside → his protection of Ayodhyā is compared to Indra's protection of Amarāvatī (6.1–5) - the city is portrayed as an ideal community: its people are content, truthful, prosperous, generous, well-dressed, and attentive to religious duties (6.6–15) - the four social orders honor devatās and guests and follow their assigned responsibilities (6.16–18) - trained warriors guard the city, which is supplied with fine horses from Kāmboja, Bāhlīka, Vanāyu, and river regions, and powerful elephants from the Vindhya and Himālaya and celebrated elephant lineages (6.19–23) - the portrait ends with Daśaratha ruling a populous, fortified Ayodhyā worthy of its name as an unconquerable city (6.24). ## Verses **1.6.1** puryāṃ tasyām ayodhyāyāṃ vedavit sarvasaṃgrahaḥ dīrghadarśī mahātejāḥ paurajānapadapriyaḥ In that city of Ayodhyā there dwelt a king versed in the Vedas, provident for all, far-sighted, of great splendour, dear to town and country folk — **1.6.2** ikṣvākūṇām atiratho yajvā dharmarato vaśī maharṣikalpo rājarṣis triṣu lokṛṣu viśrutaḥ a mighty chariot-warrior of the Ikṣvākus, a performer of sacrifices, devoted to dharma and self-controlled, like a great sage, a royal seer renowned in the three worlds; **1.6.3** balavān nihatāmitro mitravān vijitendriyaḥ dhanaiś ca saṃcayaiś cānyaiḥ śakravaiśravaṇopamaḥ powerful, his enemies destroyed, rich in allies, his senses conquered, and — in riches and other accumulated stores — the equal of Śakra (Indra) and Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera). **1.6.4** yathā manur mahātejā lokasya parirakṣitā tathā daśaratho rājā vasañ jagad apālayat Just as Manu of great splendour was the protector of the world, so King Daśaratha, dwelling there, ruled over the world. **1.6.5** tena satyābhisaṃdhena trivargam anutiṣṭhatā pālitā sā purī śreṣṭhendreṇa ivāmarāvatī By him, true to his word and pursuing the three aims of life, that best of cities was protected, as Amarāvatī is by Indra. **1.6.6** tasmin puravare hṛṣṭā dharmātmanā bahu śrutāḥ narās tuṣṭādhanaiḥ svaiḥ svair alubdhāḥ satyavādinaḥ In that best of cities the people were joyful under the righteous king, deeply learned, content each with his own wealth, free from greed and truthful. **1.6.7** nālpasaṃnicayaḥ kaś cid āsīt tasmin purottame kuṭumbī yo hy asiddhārtho 'gavāśvadhanadhānyavān In that best of cities there was no one of scanty savings, no householder of unaccomplished aims, none lacking cows, horses, wealth or grain. **1.6.8** kāmī vā na kadaryo vā nṛśaṃsaḥ puruṣaḥ kva cit draṣṭuṃ śakyam ayodhyāyāṃ nāvidvān na ca nāstikaḥ Nowhere was there a lustful man, a miser, or a cruel person; nor could an ignorant man or an unbeliever be seen in Ayodhyā. **1.6.9** sarve narāś ca nāryaś ca dharmaśīlāḥ susaṃyatāḥ muditāḥ śīlavṛttābhyāṃ maharṣaya ivāmalāḥ All, both men and women, were of righteous character, well-controlled and cheerful, spotless in conduct and behaviour like great sages. **1.6.10** nākuṇḍalī nāmukuṭī nāsragvī nālpabhogavān nāmṛṣṭo nānuliptāṅgo nāsugandhaś ca vidyate There was found no one without earrings, none without a diadem, none without a garland, none of scanty means, none unanointed, none with unanointed limbs, and none lacking fragrance. **1.6.11** nāmṛṣṭabhojī nādātā nāpy anaṅgadaniṣkadhṛk nāhastābharaṇo vāpi dṛśyate nāpy anātmavān No one who ate coarse food, no one ungenerous, none without armlets and golden necklaces, none without hand-ornaments, nor anyone lacking self-command was to be seen. **1.6.12** nānāhitāgnir nāyajvā vipro nāpy asahasradaḥ kaś cid āsīd ayodhyāyāṃ na ca nirvṛttasaṃkaraḥ In Ayodhyā there was no brahmin who had not consecrated the sacred fires, none who did not sacrifice, none who did not give in thousands, and no one guilty of caste-confusion. **1.6.13** svakarmaniratā nityaṃ brāhmaṇā vijitendriyāḥ dānādhyayanaśīlāś ca saṃyatāś ca pratigrahe The brahmins, ever devoted to their own duties, their senses conquered, given to charity and study, were restrained in accepting gifts. **1.6.14** na nāstiko nānṛtako na kaś cid abahuśrutaḥ nāsūyako na cāśakto nāvidvān vidyate tadā No atheist, no liar, no one of little learning, none envious, none incapable, none ignorant was to be found then. **1.6.15** na dīnaḥ kṣiptacitto vā vyathito vāpi kaś cana kaś cin naro vā nārī vā nāśrīmān nāpy arūpavān draṣṭuṃ śakyam ayodhyāyāṃ nāpi rājanyabhaktimān Nowhere was there anyone wretched, distracted in mind, or distressed; nor could any man or woman lacking prosperity or beauty be seen in Ayodhyā, nor anyone wanting in devotion to the king. **1.6.16** varṇeṣv agryacaturtheṣu devatātithipūjakāḥ dīrghāyuṣo narāḥ sarve dharmaṃ satyaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ Among all four classes, from the foremost onward, the people were worshippers of gods and guests, long-lived, and devoted to dharma and truth. **1.6.17** kṣatraṃ brahmamukhaṃ cāsīd vaiśyāḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ śūdrāḥ svadharmaniratās trīn varṇān upacāriṇaḥ The kṣatriyas had the brahmins at their head; the vaiśyas were devoted to the kṣatriyas; and the śūdras, intent on their own duty, served the three (higher) classes. **1.6.18** sā tenekṣvākunāthena purī suparirakṣitā yathā purastān manunā mānavendreṇa dhīmatā That city was well guarded by that lord of the Ikṣvākus, as of old by the wise Manu, lord of men. **1.6.19** yodhānām agnikalpānāṃ peśalānām amarṣiṇām saṃpūrṇākṛtavidyānāṃ guhākesariṇām iva (The city was filled) with warriors like fire, skilled and unforgiving of insult, their training fully perfected, like lions dwelling in mountain caves; **1.6.20** kāmbojaviṣaye jātair bāhlīkaiś ca hayottamaiḥ vanāyujair nadījaiś ca pūrṇāharihayopamaiḥ full of excellent horses born in the Kāmboja land and of the Bāhlīka breed, born in Vanāyu and along rivers, resembling the steeds of Indra; **1.6.21** vindhyaparvapajair mattaiḥ pūrṇā haimavatair api madānvitair atibalair mātaṅgaiḥ parvatopamaiḥ full too of rutting elephants born on the Vindhya mountains and on the Himalaya, of immense strength, in must, resembling mountains; **1.6.22** añjanād api niṣkrāntair vāmanād api ca dvipaiḥ bhadramandrair bhadramṛgair mṛgamandraiś ca sā purī with elephants sprung too from Añjana and from Vāmana (the world-elephants), of the bhadra-mandra, bhadra-mṛga, and mṛga-mandra breeds — that city, **1.6.23** nityamattaiḥ sadā pūrṇā nāgair acalasaṃnibhaiḥ sā yojane ca dve bhūyaḥ satyanāmā prakāśate ever full of always-rutting elephants that resembled mountains, that city — true to its name and extending a full two yojanas besides — shone resplendent. **1.6.24** tāṃ satyanāmāṃ dṛḍhatoraṇārgalām gṛhair vicitrair upaśobhitāṃ śivām purīm ayodhyāṃ nṛsahasrasaṃkulāṃ śaśāsa vai śakrasamo mahīpatiḥ That auspicious city of Ayodhyā — true to its name, with strong gateway-arches and bars, adorned with wonderful houses, and thronged with thousands of men — the lord of the earth, the equal of Indra, ruled indeed.