Shloka 27

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्नोग्रेण दण्डेन भृशमुद्वेजितप्रजम्।राष्ट्रं तवानुजानन्ति मन्त्रिणः कैकयीसुत।।।।

Transliteration

kaccin nogreṇa daṇḍena bhṛśam udvejita-prajam |

rāṣṭraṁ tavānujānanti mantriṇaḥ kaikayī-suta ||

Translation

കൈകേയീപുത്രാ! നിന്റെ മന്ത്രിമാർ നിന്റെ ഭരണത്തെ അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ? കഠിനദണ്ഡം മൂലം പ്രജകൾ അതിയായി ഭീതിയിലും വ്യാകുലതയിലും ആകുന്നില്ലേ?

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (niṣedha/निषेध)

• ogreṇa: by harsh/severe
• ogreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of daṇḍena

• daṇḍena: by punishment
• daṇḍena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrument with which (punishment)

• bhṛśam: excessively
• bhṛśam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण) ‘excessively’

• udvejita-prajam: having agitated citizens
• udvejita-prajam: Karma-anuguṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√vij (धातु) + prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya/tatpuruṣa sense ‘udvejitaḥ prajā yatra/tat’ qualifying rāṣṭram; udvejita = kta-PPP from ud-√vij

• rāṣṭram: kingdom
• rāṣṭram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of anujānanti

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; sambandha with rāṣṭram

• anujānanti: permit, approve
• anujānanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana; parasmaipada; ‘permit/approve’

• mantriṇaḥ: ministers
• mantriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; subject of anujānanti

• kaikayīsuta: O son of Kaikeyī
• kaikayīsuta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa ‘Kaikeyyāḥ sutaḥ’ addressing Bharata

Context

Just like a performer of sacrifice scorns at an outcaste or a woman scorns at a lustful lover, do the subjects not scorn you for collecting taxes more than what is due?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
• kingdom (rāṣṭra)
• citizens (praja)

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma requires proportionate punishment: governance must protect order without terrorizing the people; harsh danda that agitates citizens undermines dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma questions Bharata about the state of the kingdom and whether governance is being conducted properly and with public welfare in mind.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s concern for subjects and ethical governance; he frames kingship as duty toward the people, not mere power.