Valmiki Ramayana 2.91.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 2

भरद्वाजाश्रमे भरतसैन्यस्य दिव्यात्मिथ्यम् / Divine Hospitality to Bharata’s Army at Bharadvaja’s Hermitage

Spoken by Bharata to BharadvajaSetting: Bharadvāja-āśrama (near Prayāga)Bharata’s journey to meet Rāma in exile

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्भरतस्त्वेनं नन्विदं भवता कृतम् ।

पाद्यमर्घ्यं तथाऽतिथ्यं वने यदुपपद्यते ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.91.2

Transliteration

abravīd bharatas tv enaṃ nanv idaṃ bhavatā kṛtam |

pādyam arghyaṃ tathā ’tithyaṃ vane yad upapadyate ||2||

Translation

Bharata sprach zu ihm (Bharadvāja): „Wahrlich, du hast die Gastfreundschaft bereits erwiesen: Fußwasser, die Arghya-Darbringung und jede Bewirtung, die hier im Wald möglich ist.“

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• abravīt: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे (but/indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• enam: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• nanu: surely/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) प्रश्न/आश्चर्य/निश्चयार्थे (surely?/indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom./acc.), एकवचन (singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• bhavatā: by you (sir)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine, honorific), तृतीया (instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (singular)
• Role: Karana (करण)

• kṛtam: done/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (done/made)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• pādyam: water for washing feet
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• arghyam: welcome offering
• Type: Noun
• Root: arghya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• tathā: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)

• ātithyam: hospitality
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātithya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• vane: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (locative, 7th), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• yat: whatever/which
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• upapadyate: is available/occurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + √pad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग (upa-)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• अब्रवीद्भरतस्तु → abravīt + bharataḥ + tu
• त्वेनं → tu + enam
• नन्विदं → nanu + idam
• तथाऽतिथ्यं → tathā + ātithyam
• यदुपपद्यते → yat + upapadyate

Context

Bharata said to Bharadwaja, You have already extended the hospitality in offering water for washing the feet with and of arghya befitting a guest as available in the forest.

The teaching

Hospitality is measured by intention and appropriateness to place; even in a forest, proper rites (pādya, arghya) fulfill dharma.

Ethical theme

Atithi-dharma

For your practice

Cultivates humility toward saints and gratitude for service received; supports daily practice of respectful speech and acknowledgment.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Courteous, settled, reverent

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Ethics
• Atithi-dharma
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Bharadvāja
• forest (vana)
• pādya
• arghya

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma (duty to honor guests): Bharata acknowledges that even in austere forest conditions, a host should offer respectful reception—foot-water, arghya, and fitting care.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata has arrived with a large retinue at sage Bharadvāja’s hermitage; he recognizes the sage’s proper welcome and hospitality despite the wilderness setting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s humility and gratitude—he openly credits the sage’s effort and observes the propriety of hospitality.