Valmiki Ramayana 2.79.5 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 5

भरतस्य राज्यत्यागः तथा रामानयनप्रतिज्ञा

Bharata Rejects Kingship and Vows to Bring Rama Back

Devanagari script

राज्यं गृहाण भरत पितृपैतामहं ध्रुवम्।अभिषेचय चात्मानं पाहि चास्मान्नरर्षभ।।2.79.5।।

Transliteration

rājyaṃ gṛhāṇa bharata pitṛpaitāmahaṃ dhruvam | abhiṣecaya cātmānaṃ pāhi cāsmān nararṣabha ||2.79.5||

Translation

Nimm, o Bharata, dieses feste, vom Vater und den Ahnen ererbte Reich an; lass dich weihen, o Bester der Menschen, und beschütze uns.

Word by Word

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of गृहाण

• गृहाण: accept/take
• गृहाण: Kriyā (आज्ञार्थक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु; ग्रह उपादाने)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• भरत: O Bharata
• भरत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पितृ: father
• पितृ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound

• पैतामहम्: ancestral
• पैतामहम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying राज्यं; ‘ancestral (from grandfather)’

• ध्रुवम्: firm/established
• ध्रुवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying राज्यं

• अभिषेचय: get consecrated
• अभिषेचय: Kriyā (आज्ञार्थक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√sic (धातु; √sic सिञ्चने, causative)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; causative ‘have (yourself) consecrated’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; reflexive object

• पाहि: protect
• पाहि: Kriyā (आज्ञार्थक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु; पा रक्षणे)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• नर: men
• नर: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound

• ऋषभ: O bull among men
• ऋषभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; address

Context

All the ministers and members of the council, relieved of their distress, were delighted to hear these words and said O best among men, on your orders devoted people and groups of artisans have been instructed to lay the road.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkōnāśītitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the seventyninth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rājya (kingdom)
• Abhiṣeka (coronation, implied)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma as protection: kingship is presented not as privilege but as the duty to safeguard subjects and maintain stability.

What is the narrative situation?

The people formally request Bharata to accept the throne and undergo consecration.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ideal of the protector-king: the ruler’s primary virtue is guardianship and responsibility toward the people.