Valmiki Ramayana 1.77.20-21: Bala Kanda, Sarga 77, Shlokas 20-21

सप्तसप्ततितमः सर्गः · Ayodhya Return, Bridal Reception, and Bharata’s Departure

Setting: MithilāDeparture begins toward Kekaya

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा दशरथस्यैतद्भरतः कैकयीसुतः ॥२०॥

अभिवाद्य गुरुं रामं परिष्वज्य च लक्ष्मणम् ।

गमनायाभिचक्राम शत्रुघ्नसहितस्तदा ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.77.20-21

Transliteration

śrutvā daśarathasyaitad bharataḥ kaikayīsutaḥ ||20||

abhivādya guruṃ rāmaṃ pariṣvajya ca lakṣmaṇam |

gamanāyābhicakrāma śatrughnasahitas tadā ||21||

Translation

दशरथ की बात सुन के भरत ने, जो कैकेयी का बेटा है, पिता और राम गुरु को प्रणाम किया। फिर लक्ष्मण को गले लगा। उसके बाद शत्रुघ्न के साथ निकल पड़ा।

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Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), prior action
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• daśarathasya: of Daśaratha
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• etat: this (statement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• kaikayī-sutaḥ: son of Kaikeyī
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikayī (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of Kaikeyī' + 'son'); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular
• Role: Karta-apposition (कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• abhivādya: having saluted
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhivād (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), prior action
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• gurum: the father/elder (Daśaratha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; here 'father/elder'
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• rāmam: Rāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• pariṣvajya: having embraced
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-ṣvaj (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), prior action
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• lakṣmaṇam: Lakṣmaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• gamanāya: for departure
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; purpose dative
• Role: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)

• abhicakrāma: set out / started
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-kram (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)

• śatrughna-sahitaḥ: together with Śatrughna
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatrughna (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (सह-समास/associative: 'with Śatrughna'); Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; qualifies Bharata
• Role: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• tadā: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal adverb (कालवाचक)
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• daśarathasyaitad→daśarathasya etat
• etadbharataḥ→etat bharataḥ
• guruṅ→gurum
• rāmaṅ→rāmam
• gamanāyābhicakrāma→gamanāya abhicakrāma
• śatrughnasahitastadā→śatrughna-sahitaḥ tadā

Context

Having heard the words of Dasaratha, Bharata, son of Kaikeyi paid obeisance to his father and Rama, embraced Lakshmana and prepared for the journey with Satrughna.

The teaching

Before undertaking a journey, the righteous seal relationships with reverence and affectionsalutation, embrace, then action.

Ethical theme

Sadācāra (right conduct)

Devotion and practice

Embodied humility: bowing to elders and honoring virtuous exemplars (Rāma) as a daily practice.

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Dutiful, fraternal, resolute

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Śatrughna

FAQs

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

Obedience to rightful authority and elders (guru/pitṛ): Bharata responds promptly and respectfully, aligning action with duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata agrees to go with Yudhājit; before leaving he salutes his father and Rāma and embraces Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vinaya (humility) and fraternal affection—respectful salutations and embraces accompany decisive action.