Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तेषां धर्मैकरक्षाणां कुलचारित्रशोभिनाम्।अद्य चारित्रशौण्डीर्यं त्वां प्राप्य विनिवर्तितम्।।।।

Transliteration

teṣāṃ dharmaikarakṣāṇāṃ kulacāritraśobhinām |

adya cāritraśauṇḍīryaṃ tvāṃ prāpya vinivartitam ||

Translation

For those kings whose sole protection was dharma and whose glory lay in the customs of their lineage—today, by admitting you, the proud steadiness of that tradition has been overturned.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of those (persons)
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम

• धर्म-एक-रक्षाणाम्: whose only protection is righteousness
• धर्म-एक-रक्षाणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्ष (धातु) → रक्षा (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive Plural) विशेषण; समासः: धर्म एव एकः रक्षः/रक्षा येषाम् (whose sole protection is dharma)

• कुल-चारित्र-शोभिनाम्: adorned by ancestral tradition
• कुल-चारित्र-शोभिनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + चारित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः: कुलचारित्रेण शोभिनः (adorned by family-tradition)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• चारित्र-शौण्डीर्यम्: pride in (your) tradition
• चारित्र-शौण्डीर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शौण्डीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom/Acc Sg); समासः: चारित्रे शौण्डीर्यम् (pride/boastfulness about conduct/tradition)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप्य: having obtained/after getting
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal); अर्थः: having obtained/after reaching

• विनिवर्तितम्: has been reversed/overturned
• विनिवर्तितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-वृत् (धातु) → विनिवर्तित (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; (it) has been turned back/overturned

Context

As for the Ikshvaku kings, righteousness is their sole protection. They follow the ancestral traditions befitting the noble race. This tradition has been topsyturvied by admitting you into the family.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as the true “protection” of rulers; when personal ambition enters governance, inherited ethical discipline collapses.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata blames Kaikeyī’s influence for derailing the Ikṣvāku commitment to dharmic tradition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Guardianship of inherited ethical standards and resistance to corrupting influence.