Shloka 2.111.2
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकादशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः (Sarga 111: Counsel on Gurus, Parental Debt, and Bharata’s Protest)
पुरुषस्येह जातस्य भवन्ति गुरवस्त्रयः।आचार्यश्चैव काकुत्स्थ पिता माता च राघव।।।।
puruṣasyeha jātasya bhavanti guravas trayaḥ | ācāryaś caiva kākutstha pitā mātā ca rāghava ||
For every person born into this world, there are three gurus: the teacher, the father, and the mother—O Kakutstha, O Rāghava.
Every man born has three preceptors. They are his teacher, father and mother.
Dharma is grounded in reverence and obedience to legitimate authorities—teacher, father, and mother—who shape one’s moral life and responsibilities.
Within the debate about returning to Ayodhya, Bharata invokes traditional ethical teaching about who counts as a ‘guru’ to frame duties and obligations.
Respect for elders and moral sources of authority—used here as a principled basis for decision-making.