Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 15

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Devanagari script

न हि ते निष्ठुरं वाच्यो भरतो नाप्रियं वचः।अहं ह्यप्रियमुक्त स्स्यां भरतस्याप्रिये कृते।।।।

Transliteration

na hi te niṣṭhuraṃ vācyaḥ bharato nāpriyaṃ vacaḥ | ahaṃ hy apriyam uktaḥ syāṃ bharatasyāpriye kṛte ||

Translation

Tu ne dois pas adresser à Bharata des paroles dures ni déplaisantes ; car si tu le faisais, ce serait comme si ces mots amers étaient prononcés contre moi.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• te: to/for you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular)

• niṣṭhuram: harsh
• niṣṭhuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣṭhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• vācyaḥ: should be spoken
• vācyaḥ: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative, -ya); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विधेय (to be spoken)

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• apriyam: unpleasant
• apriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषणम्

• vacaḥ: word(s)
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• apriya-uktaḥ: one who has spoken unpleasantly
• apriya-uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apriya (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त, √vac धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयवत्: अप्रियम् उक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• syām: would be
• syām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bharatasya: of Bharata
• bharatasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• apriye: in an unpleasant (act/matter)
• apriye: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular); भाववाचक-प्रयोग (in an unpleasant matter)

• kṛte: for (the sake of), because of
• kṛte: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ धातु)
• Form: कृते इति हेतौ/निमित्ते (locative of kṛta used adverbially: 'for the sake of/when done'); अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग

Context

Whatever be the calamity, O Lakshmana, how will sons slay their father, or a brother kill his own brother who is as dear to him as his own life?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

Dharma of speech (vāk-dharma): one should not use cruel words against the innocent; insulting Bharata is treated as insulting Rama himself.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama restrains Lakshmana from speaking angrily about Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s protection of another’s honor and his insistence on disciplined, truthful speech.