Valmiki Ramayana 2.75.48 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 48

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

अपास्य मातृशुश्रूषामनर्थे सोऽवतिष्ठताम्।दीर्घबाहुर्महावक्षा: यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः।।।।

Transliteration

apāsya mātṛ-śuśrūṣām anarthe so 'vatiṣṭhatām | dīrgha-bāhur mahā-vakṣāḥ yasyāryo 'numate gataḥ ||

Translation

Möge der Mann, durch dessen Zustimmung mein edler Bruder—langarmig und breitbrüstig—ins Exil ging, den Dienst an seiner Mutter aufgeben und in nichtigen, zwecklosen Bestrebungen verharren.

Word by Word

• अपास्य: having abandoned
• अपास्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप+अस् (धातु) → अपास्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• मातृशुश्रूषाम्: service to (one's) mother
• मातृशुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'mother-service'); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• अनर्थे: in misfortune/without purpose
• अनर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अवतिष्ठताम्: let him remain
• अवतिष्ठताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• दीर्घबाहुः: long-armed
• दीर्घबाहुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('long-armed'); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः

• महावक्षाः: broad-chested
• महावक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('broad-chested'); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• आर्यः: the noble one
• आर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अनुमते: with consent
• अनुमते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• गतः: gone (exiled)
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः

Context

The one who counselled the exile of my noble, long-armed and broad-chested brother be banished like the one who commited the sin of leaving the ministration to his mother and engaging himself in purposeless acts!

Characters & Entities

• Rama (āryaḥ; dīrgha-bāhuḥ; mahā-vakṣāḥ)
• Mother (mātṛ, generic)
• Bharata (speaker, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as purposeful duty, especially service to parents; abandoning such service for ‘anartha’ marks ethical collapse.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata continues his denunciation, contrasting Rama’s noble qualities with the supposed moral baseness of the exile’s enabler.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Valuing purposeful duty over empty activity—Bharata’s ethic rejects ‘busy’ life without righteousness.