Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.25: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 25

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

पूर्वापकारी भरतस्त्यक्तधर्मश्च राघव।एतस्मिन्निहते कृत्स्नामनुशाधि वसुन्धराम्।।2.96.25।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.96.25

Transliteration

pūrvāpakārī bharatas tyaktadharmaś ca rāghava | etasmin nihate kṛtsnām anuśādhi vasundharām || 2.96.25 ||

Translation

يا راغافا، إن بهاراتا هو البادئ بالظلم وقد تخلى عن الدارما. عندما يُقتل، احكم أنت الأرض بأسرها.

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Word by Word

• pūrva-apakārī: a prior wrongdoer
• pūrva-apakārī: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (पूर्व) + apakārin (अपकारी) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of bharataḥ

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

• tyakta-dharmaḥ: one who has forsaken righteousness
• tyakta-dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyakta (त्यक्त) + dharma (धर्म) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘one who has abandoned dharma’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective of bharataḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• rāghava: O Raghava
• rāghava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (राघव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• etasmin: in this (case), when he
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular; with nihate: ‘when this (man) is slain’

• nihate: when (he) is slain
• nihate: Sati-saptamī (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-han (नि+हन् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Locative, Singular (Masculine/Neuter) agreeing with etasmin; locative absolute

• kṛtsnām: entire
• kṛtsnām: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (कृत्स्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying vasundharām

• anuśādhi: rule, govern
• anuśādhi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-śās (अनु+शास् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• vasundharām: the earth
• vasundharām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasundharā (वसुन्धरा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Context

Let that Kaikeyi, greedy for the kingdom, see in great anguish her son who shall be slain by me today in a battle like a tree felled by an elephant.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bharata
• earth (vasundharā)

FAQs

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

The verse shows how political legitimacy (rightful rule) must be grounded in true knowledge and dharma; otherwise, violence becomes a shortcut that undermines righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa urges that Bharata be killed and that Rāma reclaim sovereignty over the earth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to Rāma’s kingship—though expressed through an ethically dangerous, anger-driven counsel.