Valmiki Ramayana 2.73.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 22

भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः

Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

सततं राजवृत्ते हि ज्येष्ठो राज्येऽभिषिच्यते।राज्ञामेतत्समं तत्स्यादिक्ष्वाकूणां विशेषतः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.73.22

Transliteration

satataṃ rājavṛtte hi jyeṣṭho rājye 'bhiṣicyate |

rājñām etat samaṃ tat syād ikṣvākūṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ ||

Translation

By established royal practice, the eldest is always consecrated to rule. This principle holds for kings in general, and it applies with particular force to the Ikṣvāku line.

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Word by Word

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (सतत, प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Adverbial accusative = 'always'

• rāja-vṛtte: in royal custom
• rāja-vṛtte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन्) + vṛtta (वृत्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (rājñaḥ vṛttam), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: the eldest
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• rājye: in the kingdom
• rājye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (राज्य)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• abhiṣicyate: is consecrated
• abhiṣicyate: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√sic (अभि-सिच्, धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Ātmanepada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; passive sense

• rājñām: of kings
• rājñām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here subject of syāt

• samam: the same
• samam: Predicate (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (सम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective with etat

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; correlative pronoun referring to rule

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्, धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ (optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• ikṣvākūṇām: of the Ikshvakus
• ikṣvākūṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣvāku (इक्ष्वाकु, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (विशेषतः, अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)

Context

According to the established law of royalty, the eldest son is invariably crowned in the kingdom. This is true of all kings. This is a special tradition of the kings of theIkshvaku race.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Ikṣvāku dynasty
• Rāma (implicit as eldest)

FAQs

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

Social and political dharma depends on continuity of rightful norms; stable succession is presented as a dharmic safeguard.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata appeals to universal royal precedent and the special Ikṣvāku standard to refute Kaikeyī’s scheme.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for precedent and lawful order (ācāra-niṣṭhā).