Valmiki Ramayana 2.79.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 9

भरतस्य राज्यत्यागः तथा रामानयनप्रतिज्ञा

Bharata Rejects Kingship and Vows to Bring Rama Back

Spoken by BharataSetting: AyodhyaPlaces named: Vana (forest)Departure preparation toward the forest to seek Rama

Devanagari script

युज्यतां महती सेना चतुरङ्गमहाबला ।

आनयिष्याम्यहं ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरं राघवं वनात् ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.79.9

Transliteration

yujyatāṃ mahatī senā caturaṅga-mahābalā |

ānayiṣyāmy ahaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ bhrātaraṃ rāghavaṃ vanāt ||9||

Translation

Es werde das große, mächtige viergliedrige Heer aufgeboten; ich werde meinen ältesten Bruder Rāghava aus dem Wald zurückbringen.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• युज्यताम्: let (it) be marshalled
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (धातु; युज् योगे)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; passive/impersonal sense ‘let it be yoked/marshalled’
• Role: Kriyā (आज्ञार्थक क्रिया)

• महती: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; qualifying सेना
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• सेना: army
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject of युज्यताम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• चतुरङ्ग: four-divisional
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/तत्पुरुष (चतुर् + अङ्ग ‘four-limbed/divisions’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying सेना
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Dvigu

• महाबला: very powerful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महā + बल); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; qualifying सेना
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• आनयिष्यामि: I will bring
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√nī (धातु; √nī नयने)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)

• अहम्: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ज्येष्ठम्: eldest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying भ्रातरम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• भ्रातरम्: brother
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of आनयिष्यामि
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• राघवम्: Rāghava (Rāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; apposition to भ्रातरम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• वनात्: from the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative of source
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

Sandhi Notes

• आनयिष्याम्यहम् = आनयिष्यामि + अहम्
• चतुरङ्गमहाबला = चतुरङ्ग + महाबला (समास-श्रृंखला)

Context

Let the great and powerful army of four divisions be marshalled. I will bring back my eldest brother Rama from the forest.

The teaching

Strength is dharmic when it protects rightful order and is restrained by reverence for virtue.

Duties in tension

• Use of military force vs. non-coercive respect for Rama’s vow
• State stability vs. personal mission to restore rightful king

Ethical theme

Kṣātra-dharma aligned with dharma

How it resolves

Power redirected as service (sevā) rather than domination

For your practice

Channeling energy and resources toward restoring righteousness; disciplined resolve (saṅkalpa) without ego.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Mobilizing, urgent, steadfast

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Rajadharma
• Duty to restore justice
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama (Rāghava)
• forest (vana/araṇya)

FAQs

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

Political power must serve righteousness: Bharata mobilizes state resources not for conquest but to re-establish legitimate rule and uphold truth in the kingdom.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata prepares an official expedition to the forest with the royal army, intending to persuade Rama to return and assume kingship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve in dharma (dhṛti) and responsible leadership—using authority to correct injustice rather than benefit oneself.