Valmiki Ramayana 2.97.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 14

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Spoken by Rama to LakshmanaSetting: Chitrakuta region (forest residence)Places named: Chitrakuta

Devanagari script

विप्रियं कृतपूर्वं ते भरतेन कदा नु किम् ।

ईदृशं वा भयं तेऽद्य भरतं योऽत्र शङ्कसे ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.97.14

Transliteration

vipriyaṃ kṛta-pūrvaṃ te bharatena kadā nu kim |

īdṛśaṃ vā bhayaṃ te 'dya bharataṃ yo 'tra śaṅkase ||14||

Translation

भरत ने कभी तुम्हारा बुरा किया है? आज तुम्हे क्या डर है? तुम भरत पर क्यों शक कर रहे हो?

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Word by Word

• śakra-āyudha-nikāśaiḥ: resembling Indra's weapon (thunderbolt)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक) + nikāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (śakrasyāyudhasya nikāśāḥ iva)
• Role: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• kārmukaiḥ: with bows
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārmuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं (usage varies), तृतीया, बहुवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• bhāra-sādhanaiḥ: capable of achieving (their) aim/target
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bhārāṇāṃ sādhakāḥ)
• Role: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• rukma-pṛṣṭhaiḥ: gold-backed; gold-plated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rukma (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (rukmena pṛṣṭhāni yeṣām)
• Role: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• mahā-sāraiḥ: very strong; of great power
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahān sāraḥ)
• Role: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• śobhitām: adorned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śubh (धातु) > śobhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त; विशेषण (to parṇaśālāṃ understood from context)
• Role: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)

• śatru-bādhakaiḥ: enemy-subduing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + bādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (śatrūṇāṃ bādhakāḥ)
• Role: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• śakrāyudhanikāśaiśca = śakra-āyudha-nikāśaiḥ ca
• kārmukairbhārasādhanaiḥ = kārmukaiḥ bhāra-sādhanaiḥ
• rukmapṛṣṭhairmahāsāraiḥ = rukma-pṛṣṭhaiḥ mahā-sāraiḥ

Context

Why are you suspicious of Bharata? Has he done anything disagreeable to you any time in the past?

The teaching

Suspicion without prior cause is adharma; let past virtue be the measure of present trust.

Duties in tension

• Protecting Rama from possible political harm
• Upholding truth and fairness toward Bharata

Ethical theme

Satya/nyāya (truth and justice)

How it resolves

Rational moral inquiry based on past evidence

For your practice

Practice of removing doṣa-darśana (fault-finding) and cultivating trust in the virtuous.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Admonishing, clarifying, steady

Themes

• Dharma
• Justice
• Ethics
• Brotherhood
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Lakshmana

FAQs

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

Dharma demands fairness: suspicion must be based on evidence and past conduct, not on anxiety or anger.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama challenges Lakshmana’s fear, reminding him that Bharata has never harmed him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s impartial reasoning and commitment to truth (satya) over impulsive judgment.