Valmiki Ramayana 2.97.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 16

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Devanagari script

कथं नु पुत्राः पितरं हन्युः कस्यां चिदापदि।भ्राता वा भ्रातरं हन्यात्सौमित्रे प्राणमात्मनः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.97.16

Transliteration

kathaṃ nu putrāḥ pitaraṃ hanyuḥ kasyāṃ cid āpadi | bhrātā vā bhrātaraṃ hanyāt saumitre prāṇam ātmanaḥ ||

Translation

ಸೌಮಿತ್ರೇ, ಯಾವ ಅಪತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಾದರೂ ಪುತ್ರರು ತಂದೆಯನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ಕೊಲ್ಲಬಲ್ಲರು? ಅಥವಾ ಸಹೋದರನು ತನ್ನ ಪ್ರಾಣದಷ್ಟು ಪ್ರಿಯನಾದ ಸಹೋದರನನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ಕೊಲ್ಲಬಲ್ಲನು?

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Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• nu: indeed/ever (emphatic)
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), प्रश्न/संशयवर्धक

• putrāḥ: sons
• putrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• pitaram: father
• pitaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• hanyuḥ: might kill
• hanyuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kasyām: in which
• kasyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण (interrogative); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• cit: any (at all)
• cit: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cit (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) 'any/ever' (indefinitizing)

• āpadi: in calamity
• āpadi: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• bhrātā: a brother
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive conjunction: or)

• bhrātaram: (his) brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• hanyāt: might kill
• hanyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saumitre: O Saumitra (Lakshmana)
• saumitre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• prāṇam: life
• prāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

Context

If you are saying all these words only for the sake of the kingdom, then I shall ask Bharata when I see him to offer this kingdom to you.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana (Saumitrī)
• Bharata (implied by context of brotherhood)
• father (Dasharatha, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma upholds the sanctity of family bonds: patricide and fratricide are portrayed as almost unthinkable, even in crisis.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama argues against Lakshmana’s fear-driven assumptions, stressing that close kin do not turn murderous in righteous families.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s commitment to maryādā (moral boundaries) and faith in familial righteousness.