Shloka 17
भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः
Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return
कैकेयीं मां च तातं च सुहृदो बान्धवांश्च नः।पौरजानपदान्सर्वांस्त्रातु सर्वमिदं भवान्।।।।
kaikeyīṃ māṃ ca tātaṃ ca suhṛdo bāndhavāṃś ca naḥ |
paurajānapadān sarvāṃs trātu sarvam idaṃ bhavān ||
कैकेयी, मैं, हमारे पिता, हमारे सुहृद् और बान्धव, तथा समस्त पौर-जानपद—इन सबकी, अर्थात् पूरे राज्य की, रक्षा करना आपको चाहिए।
Protect this entire kingdom, Kaikeyi, me and father, our friends and relations, citizensof the city and inhabitants of the countryside.
FAQs
Rajadharma as protection: the ruler’s duty is to safeguard all stakeholders—family, allies, and especially the people—by restoring stable governance.
Bharata frames Rama’s return not as personal ambition but as necessary protection of the kingdom and its social fabric.
Rama’s protective responsibility (rakṣaṇa) as the rightful guardian of the realm, extending even to Kaikeyi and Bharata himself.