Valmiki Ramayana 2.85.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 85, Shloka 7

भरत-गुहसंवादः

Bharata and Guha: Trust, Hospitality, and the Burden of Grief

Spoken by Guha to BharataSetting: Gaṅgā bank near Guha’s territory, with Bharata’s large force presentPlaces named: GaṅgāApproach toward Rama’s forest route and Bharadvāja’s āśrama; suspicion triggered by military presence

Devanagari script

कच्छिन्नदुष्टो व्रजसि रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः ।

इयं ते महती सेना शङ्कां जनयतीव मे ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.85.7

Transliteration

kacchin na duṣṭo vrajasi rāmasyākliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ |

iyaṃ te mahatī senā śaṅkāṃ janayatīva me ||7||

Translation

まさか、倦むことなく業を成すラーマのもとへ、悪しき意図を抱いて赴くのではあるまいな。あなたのこの大軍は、私に疑念を起こさせる。

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Word by Word

• कच्चित्: surely?/is it that…?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: ‘is it the case that…?’)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)

• दुष्टः: ill-intentioned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘त्वम्’ understood
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• व्रजसि: you go
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• रामस्य: of Rama / to Rama (context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• अक्लिष्टकर्मणः: whose deeds are untiring
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ+क्लिष्ट+कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘unwearied’ + ‘deeds’); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘रामस्य’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• इयम्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘सेना’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• ते: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• महती: great/large
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘सेना’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• सेना: army
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• शङ्काम्: suspicion/doubt
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• जनयती: producing/arousing
• Type: Verb
• Root: जनयत् (कृदन्त; जनि/जन् धातु, णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle, परस्मैपदी), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘सेना’ as subject
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as if’)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• मे: in me/to me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) / चतुर्थी (Dative) एकवचन; here दत्ते/अनुभवे (to me/in me)
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)

Sandhi Notes

• कच्छिन्नदुष्टो = कच्चित् + न + दुष्टः
• रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः = रामस्य + अक्लिष्टकर्मणः
• जनयतीव = जनयती + इव

Context

Are you not going to that place with the evil intention of causing harm to Rama of unwearied actions? This large army of yours arouses doubts in me.

The teaching

When power approaches the vulnerable, dharma demands scrutiny of intent; protection of the righteous can require questioning even a prince.

Duties in tension

• Bharata’s duty to approach Rama (familial/rājadharma) vs appearance of coercion through military force
• Guha’s duty of hospitality to Bharata vs duty to protect Rama as trusted guest/ally

Ethical theme

Rakṣā-dharma / nīti (prudential ethics)

How it resolves

Inquiry and verification of intent (saṃdeha-nivṛtti through dialogue)

For your practice

Cultivate vigilance (apramāda) and moral courage to question harmful appearances; align power with compassion.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Tense, guarded, probing

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Trust and verification
• Political ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Guha
• Bharata
• Rama

FAQs

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

Dharma includes protective vigilance: Guha’s suspicion is not hostility but a duty to safeguard Rama. Ethical loyalty sometimes requires questioning power when facts are unclear.

What is the narrative situation?

Seeing Bharata’s large armed force, Guha fears it might be aimed at harming the exiled Rama and voices his concern.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Guha’s guardianship and moral courage—he risks displeasing a prince to protect a righteous man.