Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

रामः पूर्वो हि नो भ्राता भविष्यति महीपतिः।अहं त्वरण्ये वत्स्यामि वर्षाणि नव पञ्च च।।2.79.8।।

Transliteration

rāmaḥ pūrvo hi no bhrātā bhaviṣyati mahīpatiḥ | ahaṃ tv araṇye vatsyāmi varṣāṇi nava pañca ca || 2.79.8 ||

Translation

રામ, અમારા જ્યેષ્ઠ ભ્રાતા, નિશ્ચયે ભૂપતિ બનશે; અને હું તો ચૌદ વર્ષ વનમાં નિવાસ કરીશ.

Word by Word

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject

• पूर्वः: the elder/first
• पूर्वः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; qualifying रामः (eldest/first)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphasis

• नः: our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; apposition to रामः

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु; भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• महीपतिः: king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Predicate (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मही + पतिः ‘lord of earth’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate noun

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; subject of वत्स्यामि

• तु: but/as for
• तु: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विभेदार्थक निपात (contrastive particle)

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative

• वत्स्यामि: will dwell
• वत्स्यामि: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु; वस् निवासे)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Kāla (काल; अवधिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; duration-accusative

• नव: nine
• नव: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agreeing with वर्षाणि

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agreeing with वर्षाणि

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

Context

Our eldest brother, Rama shall become king. As for me, I shall dwell in the forest for fourteen years.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• forest (araṇya)

FAQs

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

Bharata upholds rightful succession and self-effacement: the kingdom belongs to the elder, Rama; Bharata accepts personal hardship to protect legitimacy and truth (satya) in governance.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rama’s exile, Bharata rejects any claim to the throne and declares that Rama must be king; he is prepared to undertake forest-life himself for the exile-term.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s integrity and loyalty—his refusal of unjust power and willingness to sacrifice comfort for righteousness.