Valmiki Ramayana 2.101.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 101, Shloka 2

भरतस्य धर्मनिश्चयः · Bharata Affirms Lineage

Dharma and Urges Rama’s Coronation

Spoken by Bharata to RamaForest-meeting discourse on succession

Devanagari script

शाश्वतोऽयं सदा धर्मः स्थितोऽस्मासु नरर्षभ ।

ज्येष्ठेे पुत्रे स्थिते राजा न कनीयान् भवेन्नृपः ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.101.2

Transliteration

śāśvato 'yaṃ sadā dharmaḥ sthito 'smāsu nararṣabha |

jyeṣṭhe putre sthite rājann na kanīyān nṛpo bhavet ||2||

Translation

يا خير الرجال، هذا هو الدارما الأزلي القائم في سلالتنا: إذا كان الابن الأكبر حاضرًا فلا يَصِحّ للأصغر أن يصير ملكًا.

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Word by Word

• śāśvataḥ: eternal; ancient
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies dharmaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ayam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• sadā: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb of time)
• Role: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• dharmaḥ: dharma; law
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• sthitaḥ: is established
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicative with dharmaḥ
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• asmāsu: among us; in our line
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saptamī (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• nararṣabha: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; 'bull among men'
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• jyeṣṭhe: in the eldest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative), Ekavacana; qualifies putre
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• putre: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative), Ekavacana
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• sthite: when (he) is present/established
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle, Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative absolute with jyeṣṭhe putre
• Role: Sati-saptamī (सति-सप्तमी)

• rājan: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha (negation particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• kanīyān: younger
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; comparative degree; subject complement to nṛpaḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• bhavet: should be; can be
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ lakāra (Optative), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• nṛpaḥ: king
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• śāśvato’ayam→śāśvataḥ ayam
• sthito’smāsu→sthitaḥ asmāsu
• bhavennṛpaḥ→bhavet nṛpaḥ

Context

O best of men! there is an ancient tradition in our race that the younger son cannot become king when the eldest is there.

The teaching

Custom grounded in dharma restrains ambition; rightful order prevents political adharma.

Duties in tension

• Dynastic stability through immediate enthronement of available prince
• Adherence to primogeniture and rightful heirship

Ethical theme

Succession ethics (rājadharma)

How it resolves

Appeal to eternal kula-dharma as decisive norm

For your practice

Supports satya-niṣṭhā (commitment to truth) and restraint from usurping roles; reflection on rightful order.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Principled, traditional, resolute

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Succession ethics
• Satya
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

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

Maryādā (normative order) governs succession: rightful precedence prevents disorder and personal ambition from overriding justice.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata argues from dynastic dharma that he cannot accept the throne while Rāma, the elder, lives.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to lawful order and rejection of opportunism.