Shloka 18

भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः

Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return

Devanagari script

क्व चारण्यं क्वच क्षात्रं क्व जटाः क्व च पालनम्।ईदृशं व्याहतं कर्म न भवान्कर्तुमर्हति।।।।

Transliteration

kva cāraṇyaṃ kvaca kṣātraṃ kva jaṭāḥ kva ca pālanam |

īdṛśaṃ vyāhataṃ karma na bhavān kartum arhati ||

Translation

¿Qué tiene que ver el bosque con el deber de un kṣatriya? ¿Qué tienen que ver las greñas enmarañadas con el gobierno y la protección? No debes emprender una acción tan contradictoria y perturbadora.

Word by Word

• क्व: where
• क्व: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb: where?)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आरण्यम्: forest-life/forest
• आरण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• क्व: where
• क्व: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय

• क्षात्रम्: kshatriya-duty/warriorhood
• क्षात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• क्व: where
• क्व: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• जटाः: matted locks
• जटाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• क्व: where
• क्व: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय

• पालनम्: governance/protection
• पालनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ईदृशम्: such
• ईदृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; qualifying कर्म

• व्याहतम्: ruined/contradictory
• व्याहतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+आ+हन् (धातु) → व्याहत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying कर्म

• कर्म: act
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• भवान्: you (hon.)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग (honorific ‘you’)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• अर्हति: is fit/ought
• अर्हति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Where is the forest and where is kshatriya's duty? Where are matted locks and where is governance of the kingdom? It does not behave you to do such acts antithetical to each other.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Forest (araṇya)
• Matted locks (jaṭā)

FAQs

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

Dharma is role-consistent conduct (svadharma): Bharata argues that Rama’s warrior-king duty is incompatible with ascetic exile when the kingdom needs rightful protection.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata highlights the contradiction between Rama’s royal responsibilities and the external signs and practices of forest renunciation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to maryādā (proper bounds of conduct): Bharata appeals to the coherence of Rama’s life with his ordained duty.