Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 51

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्दर्शयसे नित्यं मनुष्याणां विभूषितम्।उत्थायोत्थाय पूर्वाह्णे राजपुत्र महापथे।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid darśayase nityaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ vibhūṣitam |

utthāyotthāya pūrvāhṇe rājaputra mahāpathe || 2.100.51 ||

Translation

O prince, do you rise early each day and show yourself—well adorned—to the people on the great road (public thoroughfare)?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I trust? / is it so?
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/particle (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय), used as polite inquiry 'I trust/Is it the case?'

• दर्शयसे: you show/present (yourself)
• दर्शयसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• नित्यम्: always, daily
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of the people
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• विभूषितम्: well-adorned
• विभूषितम्: Karma (कर्म/object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु) + क्त (past participle)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; here as predicate/object-complement to 'दर्शयसे'

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having risen'

• उत्थाय: again and again / regularly (having risen)
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय; repetition indicates habitual/early rising (उत्थाय-उत्थाय)

• पूर्वाह्णे: in the forenoon / early morning
• पूर्वाह्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वाह्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समास: पूर्व + अह्न (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः; conventional tatpuruṣa)

• राजपुत्र: O prince
• राजपुत्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समास: राज्ञः पुत्रः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• महापथे: on the main road
• महापथे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महत् पथः

Context

O prince, I trust, you rise early daily and present yourself well-adomed to the people on the thoroughfare.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• people (manuṣyāḥ)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Righteous rule requires visibility and accountability: the king should be accessible to the public and disciplined in daily conduct, signaling order and respect for subjects.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma checks whether Bharata follows daily royal discipline and maintains public contact, a practical aspect of rājadharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and approachability: a ruler’s regulated routine and public presence strengthen trust and stability.