Valmiki Ramayana 2.100.40-42: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shlokas 40-42
शततमः सर्गः · Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma
Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare
Spoken by Rama to BharataSetting: Ayodhyā
वीरैरध्युषितां पूर्वमस्माकं तात पूर्वकैः ।
सत्यनामां दृढ द्वारां हस्त्यश्वरथसङ्कुलाम् ॥४०॥
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यै स्स्वकर्मनिरतैस्सदा ।
जितेन्द्रियैर्महोत्साहैर्वृतामार्यै स्सहस्रशः ॥४१॥
प्रासादैर्विविधाकारैर्वृतां वैद्यजनाकुलाम् ।
कच्चित्सुमुदितां स्फीतामयोध्यां परिरक्षसि ॥४२॥
vīrair adhyuṣitāṃ pūrvam asmākaṃ tāta pūrvakaiḥ |
satyanāmāṃ dṛḍhadvārāṃ hastyaśvarathasaṅkulām ||40||
brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyair vaiśyaiḥ svakarmanirataiḥ sadā |
jitendriyair mahotsāhair vṛtām āryaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||41||
prāsādair vividhākārair vṛtāṃ vaidyajanākulām |
kaccit sumuditāṃ sphītām ayodhyāṃ parirakṣasi ||42||
बेटा, अयोध्या को ऐसे ही बचा के रखो जैसे हमारे बड़े बड़े लोग रखते थे। यह शहर सच में अपने नाम के जैसा है, सत्य वाला। इसके दरवाज़े मज़बूत हैं। बाहर हाथी, घोड़े और रथ भर के खड़े हैं। ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य, तीनों अपना काम करते हैं, अपने धरम में लगे हैं। यह लोग अपनी इच्छाओं को कंट्रोल करते हैं और बड़े जोश में रहते हैं। हज़ारों ऐसे लोग वहाँ हैं। महल अलग-अलग डिज़ाइन के बने हैं। वैद्य और पढ़े-लिखे लोग भर के हैं। यह शहर खुश है और आगे बढ़ रहा है। तुम उसे ठीक से संभाल रहे हो ना?
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved: वीरैरध्युषिताम् → वीरैः + अध्युषिताम्
- पूर्वमस्माकम् → पूर्वम् + अस्माकम्
- क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः → क्षत्रियैः + वैश्यैः
- स्वकर्मनिरतैस्सदा → स्वकर्मनिरतैः + सदा
- जितेन्द्रियैर्महोत्साहैः → जितेन्द्रियैः + महोत्साहैः
- वृतामार्यैः → वृताम् + आर्यैः
- आर्यै स्सहस्रशः → आर्यैः + सहस्रशः
- प्रासादैर्विविधाकारैः → प्रासादैः + विविधाकारैः
- वृतां वैद्यजनाकुलाम् unchanged (padaccheda: वृताम् + वैद्यजनाकुलाम्)
- कच्चित्सुमुदिताम् → कच्चित् + सुमुदिताम्
- स्फीतामयोध्याम् → स्फीताम् + अयोध्याम्
My dear brother! I trust you are protecting the (impregnable) city of Ayodhya worthy of its name, formerly defended by our heroic ancestors, with its sturdy gates, its elephants, horses and chariots, its thousands of venerable, self-controlled and highly energetic brahmins, kshatriyas and vaisyas engaged in their respective professions, filled with palaces of various kinds, abounding in learned people and a prosperous city where everything is available in abundance.
The teaching
A ruler’s legitimacy is shown by safeguarding the city, ensuring disciplined social order, and maintaining prosperity and security.
Duties in tension
- Bharata’s duty to govern as regent vs. his reluctance to assume kingship while Rama lives
- Protection of the capital and social order vs. personal grief and political turmoil after Daśaratha’s death
- Ethical theme
- Rāja-dharma
- How it resolves
- Duty-affirmation through inquiry and accountability (kaccit-prashna)
For your practice
Contemplation on ‘inner governance’: guarding the senses (jitendriya) and maintaining steadiness like a well-protected city.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Solicitous, civic-proud, measured
Themes
- Dharma
- Rajadharma
- Maryada
- Civic Welfare
- Prosperity
- Social Order
- Satya
The well-guarded city as the ‘pura’ of the embodied self; guarding the gates parallels restraint of the senses (indriya-dvāra-rakṣaṇa).
Kaṭha Upaniṣad chariot allegory (ratha) and the theme of sense-control (jitendriya) as governance of the inner city.
- Rama and Bharata
- Elder brother addressing younger brother; rightful heir advising regent (concerned)
- Rama and Ayodhya
- Exiled prince’s protective solicitude for capital (protective)
- Bharata and Ayodhya
- Regent/guardian of the city (dutiful)
Mahābhārata 12 (Śānti-parvan): rāja-dharma sections on protecting cities, forts, and varṇas; Rāmcaritmānas, Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Bharata’s regency and concern for Ayodhyā’s welfare
Vedic ideal of kṣatra protecting brāhmaṇa and sustaining prosperity (kṣema)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Rama’s ‘kaccit’ interrogatives to Bharata on governance (same sarga cluster)
Anuṣṭup (predominant in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa; this passage is in anuṣṭubh-style pādas)
Narrative
Madhyama (middle register)
FAQs
Rājadharma as guardianship: the king’s duty is to secure the city and sustain social well-being—safety, prosperity, and people faithfully engaged in their rightful work.
Rāma asks Bharata whether the capital Ayodhyā remains secure and flourishing under his care, describing its ideal civic and moral order.
Protective stewardship: maintaining security and prosperity while honoring established social responsibilities (svadharma).
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