Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 115, Shloka 23

पादुकाभिषेकः

The Consecration of Rama’s Sandals and Bharata’s Trusteeship at Nandigrama

Devanagari script

स वल्कलजटाधारी मुनिवेषधरः प्रभुः।नन्दिग्रामेऽवसद्वीर स्ससैन्यो भरतस्तदा।।।।

Transliteration

sa valkala-jaṭā-dhārī muni-veṣa-dharaḥ prabhuḥ | nandigrāme ’vasad vīraḥ sa-sainyo bharatas tadā ||

Translation

Then Bharata—lordly yet heroic—wearing bark garments and matted locks, adopting an ascetic’s dress, lived at Nandigrāma together with his army.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative Singular

• valkala-jaṭā-dhārī: wearing bark-garments and matted locks
• valkala-jaṭā-dhārī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: valkala (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine, Nominative Singular; dhārin = possessive adjective “bearing/wearing”

• muni-veṣa-dharaḥ: wearing an ascetic’s dress
• muni-veṣa-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Nominative Singular

• prabhuḥ: lord, master
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• nandigrāme: in Nandigrāma
• nandigrāme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandigrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative Singular

• avasat: dwelt, lived
• avasat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) Aorist/Imperfect narrative; 3rd person Singular; Parasmaipada

• vīraḥ: hero, warrior
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; in apposition to bharataḥ

• sa-sainyaḥ: with (his) army
• sa-sainyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) “with army”; Masculine, Nominative Singular; adjective to bharataḥ

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time

Context

King Dasaratha has gone to heaven. My elder brother and guru is in the forest. I shall await his return for ruling the kingdom since he alone is the illustrious king of Ayodhya.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Nandigrāma
• Army (sainyā)

FAQs

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

Renunciation in service of truth: Bharata adopts ascetic simplicity to avoid enjoying royal comfort while Rama is exiled.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata relocates to Nandigrāma and lives austerely, maintaining the kingdom in Rama’s name.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-denial (tyāga) and disciplined restraint—power is treated as duty, not enjoyment.