Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 13

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

तदिदं शाश्वतं पित्र्यं सर्वं प्रकृतिमण्डलम्।पूजितं पुरुषव्याघ्र नातिक्रमितुमर्हसि।।।।

Transliteration

tad idaṃ śāśvataṃ pitryaṃ sarvaṃ prakṛtimaṇḍalam | pūjitaṃ puruṣavyāghra nātikramitum arhasi ||

Translation

Therefore, O tiger among men, you should not override this entire venerable body of subjects—an ancient, hereditary order that stands honored.

Word by Word

• तद्: therefore/that
• तद्: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् (discourse particle: ‘therefore/that’)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• शाश्वतम्: eternal, enduring
• शाश्वतम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of idam/sarvam/prakṛtimaṇḍalam)

• पित्र्यम्: ancestral
• पित्र्यम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘ancestral/hereditary’

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण

• प्रकृतिमण्डलम्: the whole body of subjects
• प्रकृतिमण्डलम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रकृतीनां मण्डलम् = circle/body of subjects)

• पूजितम्: honored, revered
• पूजितम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally), द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘honored/venerable’

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• पुरुषव्याघ्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; समासः—कर्मधारय (व्याघ्रः इव पुरुषः)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अतिक्रमितुम्: to transgress
• अतिक्रमितुम्: प्रयोजन
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-इन्फिनिटिव (to transgress/overstep)

• अर्हसि: you ought (not)
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; न + अर्हसि = ‘you should not’

Context

O best among men, it does not behove you to transgress the prayers of the whole order of subjects and ministers to assume this hereditary and perpetual order.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• subjects (prakṛti)
• ministers (implied by context)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma and respect for the collective: the ruler should honor the legitimate civic order—subjects and ministers—rather than dismissing their righteous appeal.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata argues that Rama should not disregard the united request of the kingdom’s people and leadership who seek Rama’s rightful governance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s sense of constitutional dharma—he treats the people’s mandate and ancestral norms as morally weighty.