Valmiki Ramayana 2.75.28 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 28

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः

Sarga 75: Bharata and Kausalya—Reproach, Oaths, and Reconciliation

Devanagari script

उपदिष्टं सुसूक्ष्मार्थं शास्त्रं यत्नेन धीमता।स नाशयतु दुष्टात्मा यस्याऽर्योऽनुमते गतः।।।।

Transliteration

upadiṣṭaṁ su-sūkṣmārthaṁ śāstraṁ yatnena dhīmatā |

sa nāśayatu duṣṭātmā yasyāryo 'numate gataḥ ||

Translation

Möge der Übelgesinnte, durch dessen Rat mein edler Bruder verbannt wurde, zugrunde gehen—er, der den feinen Sinn der Śāstras zerstört, den ein Weiser mit Mühe gelehrt hat.

Word by Word

• उपदिष्टम्: taught; instructed
• उपदिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; past participle qualifying ‘śāstram’

• सुसूक्ष्मार्थम्: having very subtle meaning
• सुसूक्ष्मार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + सूक्ष्म + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (सुसूक्ष्मः अर्थः यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘śāstram’

• शास्त्रम्: scripture; treatise
• शास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular ‘with effort/care’

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular ‘by the wise (teacher)’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• नाशयतु: let him destroy
• नाशयतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नश् (धातु) + णिच् (प्रेरण)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative ‘let him destroy’

• दुष्टात्मा: evil-minded one
• दुष्टात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; substantive ‘evil-souled person’

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• आर्यः: the noble one (Rāma)
• आर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनुमते: with approval
• अनुमते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• गतः: gone; exiled
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother acquire demerit in the same way as an evil-hearted person who forever destroys the subtle meaning of the scriptures imparted carefully by a sagacious preceptor!

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma (ārya)
• śāstra

FAQs

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

Misusing knowledge and corrupting sacred teaching is adharma; dharma requires preserving and transmitting wisdom faithfully.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata condemns the instigator of exile as morally perverse, extending the blame to spiritual and intellectual corruption.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for learning and right interpretation—Bharata treats distortion of śāstra as a deep ethical failure.