Shloka 39
Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)
(श्रीरम उवाच गच्छ तात प्रजा रक्ष्या: सत्य॑ रक्षाम्यहं पितु: ।) विसर्जित: स रामेण पितुर्वचनकारिणा । नन्दिग्रामे5करोद्ू राज्यं पुरस्कृत्यास्य पादुके
śrīrāma uvāca | gaccha tāta prajā rakṣyāḥ, satyaṃ rakṣāmy ahaṃ pituḥ | visṛjitaḥ sa rāmeṇa piturvacanakāriṇā | nandigrāme 'karod rājyaṃ puraskṛtyāsya pāduke ||
Śrī Rāma dit : «Va, mon cher. Le peuple doit être protégé ; quant à moi, je sauvegarde la vérité de mon père (la parole qu’il a donnée).» Ayant ainsi parlé, Rāma, fidèle exécutant du commandement paternel, le renvoya. Alors Bharata revint et, plaçant en avant les sandales de Rāma comme symbole de la souveraineté légitime, demeura à Nandigrāma et gouverna le royaume depuis ce lieu.
(श्रीरम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma as fidelity to a pledged word: Rāma upholds his father’s promise even at personal cost, while Bharata protects the people without usurping authority—governing only as a trustee under the emblem of Rāma’s sandals.
Rāma instructs Bharata to return and safeguard the subjects, declaring that he himself is safeguarding his father’s truth. Rāma then dismisses him, and Bharata returns to Nandigrāma, administering the kingdom with Rāma’s sandals placed foremost as the sign that Rāma remains the rightful king.