Shloka 22
भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः
Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return
चतुर्णामाश्रमाणां हि गार्हस्थ्यं श्रेष्ठमुत्तमम्।आहुर्धर्मज्ञ धर्मज्ञास्तं कथं त्यक्तु मर्हसि।।।।
caturṇām āśramāṇāṁ hi gārhasthyaṁ śreṣṭham uttamam |
āhur dharmajña dharmajñās taṁ kathaṁ tyaktum arhasi ||
Entre los cuatro āśramas, los conocedores del dharma proclaman que la vida del cabeza de familia es la mejor y la más excelsa. Oh conocedor del dharma, ¿cómo podrías ser digno de abandonarla?
O Rama, you are the one who knows his duty. The knowers of dharma maintain thatthe life of a householder is the foremost among the four modes of life. How can you renounce it?
FAQs
Dharma is linked to sustaining society: the householder stage supports other āśramas through protection, charity, and stable governance.
Bharata argues against renunciation by reminding Rama that authoritative tradition praises gārhasthya as the foremost āśrama.
Rama’s dharma-competence (dharmajñatā), which Bharata invokes to persuade him to uphold social responsibility.