Shloka 2.8.16

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī (Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm)

Devanagari script

भरतश्चापि रामस्य ध्रुवं वर्षशतात्परम्।पितृपैतामहं राज्यमवाप्ता पुरुषर्षभः।।2.8.16।।

Transliteration

bharataś cāpi rāmasya dhruvaṃ varṣaśatāt param | pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyam avāptā puruṣarṣabhaḥ || 2.8.16 ||

Translation

And Bharata too, surely—after more than a hundred years of Rama’s reign—will inherit the ancestral kingdom, that best of men.

Context

After a hundred years of Rama's rule, Bharata, the best of men, will get the kingdom of his ancestors.

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Manthara
• Rama
• Bharata
• ancestral kingdom (pitṛpaitāmaha rājyam)

FAQs

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

Dharma values orderly succession and patience: Kaikeyi frames inheritance as a lawful, time-bound continuity rather than a prize to seize through intrigue.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyi reassures Mantharā that Bharata is not harmed by Rama’s coronation; in due course he too will receive the ancestral kingship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Trust in lawful order and restraint—accepting what comes through dharma rather than forcing outcomes through deception.