The World of Valmiki-04

Citizens of Ayodhya

तस्मिन् पुरवरे हृष्टा धर्मात्मानो बहुश्रुताः ।
नरास्तुष्टा धनैः स्वैः स्वैरलुब्धाः सत्यवादिनः ।
नाल्पसन्निचयः कश्चिदासीत्तस्मिन् पुरोत्तमे ।
कुटुम्बी यो ह्यसिद्धार्थोऽगवाश्वधनधान्यवान् ।
कामी वा न कदर्यो वा नृशंसः पुरुषः क्वचित् ।
द्रष्टुं शक्यमयोध्यायां नाविद्वान् न च नास्तिकः ।
सर्वे नराश्च नार्यश्च धर्मशीलाः सुसंयताः ।
मुदिताः शीलवृताभ्यां महर्षय इवामलाः ।
नाकुंडली नामकुटी नास्रग्वी नाल्पभोग्यवान् ।
नामृष्टो नानुलिप्ताङ्गो नासुगन्धश्च विद्यते ।
नामृष्टभोजी नादाता नाप्यनङ्गदनिष्कधृक् ।
नाहस्ताभरणो वापि दृश्यते नाप्यनात्मवान् ।
नानाहिताग्निर्नायज्वा न क्षुद्रो वा न तस्करः ।
कश्चिदासीदयोध्यायां न च निर्वृत्तसङ्करः ।
स्वकर्मनिरता नित्यं ब्राह्मणा विजितेन्द्रियाः ।
दानाध्ययनशीलाश्च संयताश्च प्रतिग्रहे ।
न नास्तिको नानृतको न कश्चिदबहुश्रुतः ।
नासूयको न वाशक्तो नाविद्वान् विद्यते तदा ।
नाषडङ्गविदत्रासीन्नाव्रतो नासहस्रदः ।
न दीनः क्षिप्तचित्तो वा व्यथितो वापि कश्चन ।
कश्चिन्नरो वा नारी वा नाश्रीमान्नाप्यरूपवान् ।
द्रष्टुं शक्यमयोध्यायां नापि राजन्यभक्तिमान् ।
वर्णेष्वग्रचतुर्थेषु देवतातिथिपूजकाः ।
कृतज्ञाश्च वदान्याश्च शूरा विक्रमसंयुताः ।
दीर्घायुषो नरास्सर्वे धर्मं सत्यं च संश्रिताः ।
सहिताः पुत्रपौत्रैश्च नित्यं स्त्रीभिः पुरोत्तमे ।
क्षत्रं ब्रह्ममुखं चासीद्वैश्याः क्षत्रमनुव्रताः ।
शुद्राः स्वधर्मनिरतास्त्रीन्वर्णानुपचारिणः ॥१/६/६-१९॥
In that great city the citizens were noble-minded and well-read. They spoke the truth, were not greedy and were content with their own earnings.There was nobody whose belongings were insignificant, who did not have a family, who had not achieved his desires and who did not possess wealth in the form of cattle, horses.money and grains. Nobody was lustful,cowardly or inhuman. It was not possible to see anybody who was not a scholar or who was an atheist. All men and women tread the path of virtue and were disciplined. By their cheerful disposition,they resembled the great ascetics in conduct and manners. One could not see in that city anybody who did not wear ear-rings,tiara,necklace and bracelet. Nobody was not besmeared, wore no perfume and was short of pleasures. There was nobody who was not a gourmet, a benefactor and who was not self-restrained. There was nobody who did not worship the sacred fires,did not perform vedic sacrifices. There was nobody who was a thief or vile or of impure origin. Brahmins had control over their senses and were devoted to their studies and their rituals. They were charitable and were chary of receiving gifts. There was nobody among them who was an atheist, untruthful, jealous, incapable or nor well-read. There was nobody among them who was not well-versed in the six sub-braches of the Vedas, who did not observe vows and who did not give away in thousands in charity.There was nobody who was in misery or of unstable mind. There was not a woman or man among the four castes who was not wealthy and did not possess good looks. One could not find anybody who was not devoted to the king and who did not worship Gods and respected guests. They were persons of gratitude, skilled in conversing, brave and full of valour. Following the path of righteousness and truth, all lived long lives along with their women, children and grandchildren. Kshatriyas followed Brahmins, while Vaishyas followed Kshatriyas. Sudras following their duties served the other three castes. 
 
Palace in Ayodhya


Kaikeyi's palace consisted of 8 enclosures.
स प्रविश्याष्टमीं कक्ष्यां राजानं दीनमातुरम् ।
पुत्रशोकपरिद्यूनमपश्यत् पाण्डरे गृहे ॥२/५७/२४॥




Dasaratha's consisted of at least 5 enclosures. Rama traversed three outer enclosures by chariot and walked across the last two.
राजपुत्रः पितुर्वेश्म प्रविवेश श्रिया ज्वलन् ।
स कक्ष्या धन्विभिर्गुप्ताः तिस्रोऽतिक्रम्य वाजिभिः ।
पदातिरपरे कक्ष्ये द्वे जगाम नरोत्तमः ॥१/१७/२०॥


स रामभवनं प्राप्य पाण्डराभ्रघनप्रभम् ।
तिस्रः कक्ष्या रथेनैव विवेश मुनिसत्तमः ॥२/५/५॥
Vasishtha traverses the first three enclosures of Rama's palace on the chariot.


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