Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 12

भरतस्य राज्यत्यागः तथा रामानयनप्रतिज्ञा

Bharata Rejects Kingship and Vows to Bring Rama Back

Devanagari script

न सकामां करिष्यामि स्वामिमां मातृगन्धिनीम्।वने वत्स्याम्यहं दुर्गे रामो राजा भविष्यति।।2.79.12।।

Transliteration

na sakāmāṃ kariṣyāmi svām imāṃ mātṛgandhinīm |

vane vatsyāmy ahaṃ durge rāmo rājā bhaviṣyati ||

Translation

No cumpliré el deseo de esa mujer—mía, sí—que sólo lleva el nombre de ‘madre’. Yo habitaré en el bosque inaccesible; Rāma será rey.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• सकामाम्: (her) desired (wish)
• सकामाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (स + काम = with desire; here: ‘her wish’)

• करिष्यामि: I shall do/fulfil
• करिष्यामि: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन

• स्वाम्: my own
• स्वाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण

• इमाम्: this (woman)
• इमाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• मातृगन्धिनीम्: the one called ‘mother’
• मातृगन्धिनीम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Appositive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातृगन्धिनी (प्रातिपदिक: मातृ + गन्धिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मातुः गन्धः/नाम यस्याः = called ‘mother’/bearing the name ‘mother’)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन

• वत्स्यामि: I shall dwell
• वत्स्यामि: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• दुर्गे: in the inaccessible (place)
• दुर्गे: अधिकरण-विशेषण (Qualifier of location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with वने)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: कर्ता-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Context

I shall never fulfil the wishes of that woman called my mother. I shall dwell in the inaccessible forest and Rama shall become king.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī (implied by 'mother' reference)
• Rāma
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is loyalty to truth and rightful order over partiality: even a mother’s wish is rejected when it violates satya and justice.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata publicly refuses to accept the unjust outcome engineered by Kaikeyī and declares his own willingness to renounce comfort.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity (ārjava) and detachment: Bharata chooses hardship rather than benefit gained through adharma.