Shloka 10

भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः

Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return

Devanagari script

कथं दशरथा ज्जात श्शुद्धाभिजनकर्मणः।जानन् धर्ममधर्मिष्ठं कुर्यां कर्म जुगुप्सितम्।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ daśarathāj jātaḥ śuddhābhijana-karmaṇaḥ |

jānan dharmam adharmiṣṭhaṃ kuryāṃ karma jugupsitam ||

Translation

शुद्ध कुल और पुण्य कर्म वाले दशरथ से जन्मा मैं, धर्म को जानते हुए, कैसे अधर्मपूर्ण और घृणित कर्म कर सकता हूँ?

Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Praśna-avyaya (interrogative adverb)

• daśarathāt: from Daśaratha
• daśarathāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Ablative, 5th), Ekavacana

• jātaḥ: born
• jātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘born’

• śuddhābhijanakarmaṇaḥ: of pure lineage and righteous deeds
• śuddhābhijanakarmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha-abhijana-karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: śuddha (pure) + abhijana (lineage) + karman (deeds) = ‘of pure lineage and deeds’

• jānan: knowing
• jānan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (शतृ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with (aham implied)

• dharmam: dharma / righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana

• adharmiṣṭham: most unrighteous
• adharmiṣṭham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dharmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; superlative sense (iṣṭha) with privative a-; qualifies karma

• kuryām: should I do
• kuryām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• karma: deed
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• jugupsitam: reprehensible
• jugupsitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gup (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP with intensive/reduplicated stem (ju-gupsita), Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies karma

Context

How shall I, born to Dasaratha of noble race and righteous deeds, with the knowledge of dharma, do such a reprehensible and unrighteous deed?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Dasaratha

FAQs

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

Knowing dharma creates moral accountability: Bharata insists that awareness of righteousness makes an unrighteous act even more blameworthy, so he refuses to legitimize wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata argues before Rama that accepting the kingship gained through injustice would be morally intolerable, given his upbringing and understanding of dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity (anṛśaṃsya) and conscientiousness: Bharata’s refusal to participate in a tainted outcome despite political advantage.