Shloka 2.115.14

पादुकाभिषेकः — The Consecration of Rama’s Sandals and Bharata’s Trusteeship at Nandigrama

Devanagari script

एतद्राज्यं मम भ्रात्रा दत्तं सन्नयासवत्स्वयम्।योगक्षेमवहे चेमे पादुके हेमभूषिते।।।।

Transliteration

etad rājyaṃ mama bhrātrā dattaṃ sannyāsavat svayam | yogakṣemavahe ceme pāduke hemabhūṣite ||

Translation

This kingdom my brother himself entrusted to me as a sacred deposit. And these gold-adorned sandals, bearing the charge of the realm’s safety and welfare, were also given into my care.

Context

My brother gave me this kingdom as a trust. He gave me the sandals decorated with gold for securing the prosperity and security (of the kingdom).

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• kingdom of Ayodhya (implied)
• pādukā (Rama’s sandals)

FAQs

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

Trusteeship in governance: Bharata frames rule not as personal ownership but as a sacred trust held on behalf of Rama, aligning political power with dharma rather than desire.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Rama’s sandals, Bharata explains to the public that the kingdom and the sandals are entrusted to him only temporarily, for the realm’s protection and welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and self-restraint: Bharata refuses to treat kingship as a prize and instead accepts it as a duty-bound deposit.