Valmiki Ramayana 2.99.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 99, Shloka 16

चित्रकूटप्राप्तिः · Bharata Reaches Chitrakuta and Beholds Rama

Spoken by BharataSetting: Forest dwelling of Rama (approach to Chitrakuta hermitage implied)Places named: forest (vana)Bharata nearing Rama’s residence during reconciliation mission

Devanagari script

मत्कृते व्यसनं प्राप्तो लोकनाथो महाद्युतिः ।

सर्वान्कामान्परित्यज्य वने वसति राघवः ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.99.16

Transliteration

mat-kṛte vyasanaṁ prāpto loka-nātho mahā-dyutiḥ |

sarvān kāmān parityajya vane vasati rāghavaḥ ||16||

Translation

मेरे लिए ये बड़ा संकट आया है। दुनिया का मालिक, चमकदार राघव, सब इच्छाएँ छोड़ के जंगल में रहता है।

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Word by Word

• मत्-कृते: on my account
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धातु))
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अर्थे सप्तमी/हेतौ (on account of); अव्ययत्वात् अविकारी
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• व्यसनम्: calamity
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• प्राप्तः: has met with
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prāp (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘has obtained/has met with’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• लोक-नाथः: lord of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य नाथः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• महाद्युतिः: the greatly radiant one
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महती द्युतिः यस्य/महाद्युतिः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc. acc. pl.); विशेषणम् (कमान्)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• कामान्: desires
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• परित्यज्य: having renounced
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having renounced)
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• वने: in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• वसति: lives
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• मत्कृते = मत् + कृते (अव्ययीभाव)
• सर्वान्कामान्परित्यज्य = सर्वान् + कामान् + परित्यज्य
• लोकनाथो = लोकनाथः (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
• प्राप्तो = प्राप्तः
• वने वसति (पदच्छेद)

Context

Effulgent Rama, the lord of the world, had to renounce all desires and undergo this calamity of living in the forest on my account.

The teaching

True nobility is measured by willingness to relinquish personal gain and accept hardship for dharma.

Duties in tension

• Bharata’s obligation to uphold the state vs refusal to benefit from adharma-born succession
• Rama’s duty to obey father’s word vs duty to protect subjects

Ethical theme

Dharma of renunciation within rājadharma

How it resolves

Affirmation of dharma through renunciation and rightful restitution

For your practice

Supports contemplation on vairāgya and responsibility: owning consequences and choosing dharma over desire.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Remorseful, renunciant, heavy-hearted

Themes

• Dharma
• Renunciation
• Ethics
• Kingship
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores dharma as self-sacrifice and truth-bound duty: Rāma accepts forest life, while Bharata accepts moral responsibility for the chain of events.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata laments that Rāma—fit to rule—now lives as a renunciate in the forest, and he attributes the suffering to himself.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s renunciation and Bharata’s accountability—together portraying ideal conduct: one bears hardship for dharma, the other refuses to hide from blame.