Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 2

भरतस्य राज्यत्यागः तथा रामानयनप्रतिज्ञा

Bharata Rejects Kingship and Vows to Bring Rama Back

Devanagari script

गतो दशरथस्स्वर्गं यो नो गुरुतरो गुरुः।रामं प्रव्राज्य वै ज्येष्ठं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्।।2.79.2।।

Transliteration

gato daśarathaḥ svargaṃ yo no gurutaro guruḥ | rāmaṃ pravrājya vai jyeṣṭhaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam ||2.79.2||

Translation

Daśaratha, nuestro maestro y señor más venerable, ha partido al cielo, tras desterrar a su primogénito Rāma, junto con el poderoso Lakṣmaṇa.

Word by Word

• गतः: gone
• गतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam गत्यर्थे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate of दशरथः

• दशरथः: Daśaratha
• दशरथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject

• स्वर्गम्: to heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; destination with √gam

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to दशरथः

• नः: our/to us
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of us/our’

• गुरुतरः: greater/superior
• गुरुतरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gurutara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तुलनात्मक (comparative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; qualifying गुरुḥ

• गुरुः: preceptor/elder
• गुरुः: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate noun

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object of प्रव्राज्य

• प्रव्राज्य: having exiled
• प्रव्राज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vraj (धातु; √vraj गत्यर्थे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), causative sense ‘having sent into exile’ (contextual)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• ज्येष्ठम्: the eldest
• ज्येष्ठम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying रामम्

• लक्ष्मणम्: Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; coordinated object

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाबलम्: mighty/strong
• महाबलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महৎ/महā + बल); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifying लक्ष्मणम्

Context

When prince Bharata was thus speaking in favour of Rama, all the people responded with these excellent, propitious words:

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Svarga

FAQs

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

It frames a crisis of rajadharma: the king has departed, and the rightful heir has been exiled, creating a moral and political vacuum that must be addressed responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

After Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile, the people speak to Bharata, recalling the events that left the kingdom without its natural protector.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for elders and teachers (guru-bhakti) is highlighted through the description of Daśaratha as the most revered guide of the people.