Bala Kanda 6

Valmiki Ramayana: Translation by Uma Sri

Posted: Jul 22, 2026

The Ayodhya City

Listed as part of what Kusha and Lava sang about:

King Dasaratha reigned over Ayodhya, a city traditionally believed to have been founded by Manu. Spanning twelve yojanas in length and three yojanas in width, the city featured a grand royal highway regularly sprinkled with water (to settle dust) and strewn with fresh flowers.

Ayodhya was adorned with grand gates, ornate ceremonial arches, and bustling bazaars. Well-fortified for battle, its watchtowers were draped with fluttering banners and equipped with advanced machinery alongside defensively mounted Shataghnis (war equipment).

Ringed by a formidable moat, Ayodhya stood impregnable to its foes. Its streets teemed with horses, elephants, cattle, and beasts of burden. The fine steeds of Ayodhya were bred in the regions of Kamboja, Bahlika, and other riverlands. Furthermore, the city's mighty elephants were born in the Vindhya Mountains and the Himalayas.

Lush gardens, vast mango groves, and towering Sala trees enveloped the city in dense foliage. Extending two yojanas on its outskirts, the city shone forth, living up to its noble name.

Within this heavily guarded metropolis, culture flourished: skilled artisans and troupes of actors and dancers filled the streets. A thriving hub of commerce, the city vibrated with merchants arriving from distant lands and tributary monarchs who visited to offer their homage.

At the city's center stood gem-inlaid palaces and palatial mansions reminiscent of Indra’s abode, Amaravati. This urban landscape was organized in a precise, chessboard-like grid layout upon level terrain paved with precious stones. Bountiful and prosperous, Ayodhya held vast reserves of white rice and water as sweet as fresh sugarcane juice.

Warriors renowned for their prowess and valor guarded this land of King Dasaratha. The city of Ayodhya prided itself on righteous citizens who upheld sacred traditions and excelled in the study of the Vedas and their six Vedangas. It was inhabited by truth-bound, noble-minded ascetics, and a populace that valued and practiced generosity.