Shloka 28

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चित्त्वां नावजानन्ति याजकाः पतितं यथा।उग्रप्रतिग्रहीतारं कामयानमिव स्त्रियः।।।।

Transliteration

kaccit tvāṁ nāvajānanti yājakāḥ patitaṁ yathā |

ugra-pratigrahītāraṁ kāmayānam iva striyaḥ ||

Translation

കഠിനമോ അനുപയോഗ്യമോ ആയ പ്രതിഗ്രഹണം കാരണം യാജകർ നിന്നെ പതിതനെപ്പോലെ അവഗണിക്കുന്നില്ലേ? അതുപോലെ സ്ത്രീകൾ നിന്നെ കാമാന്ധനെപ്പോലെ നിന്ദിക്കുന്നില്ലേ?

Word by Word

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

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of avajānanti

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

• avajānanti: disrespect
• avajānanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Bahuvacana; parasmaipada; ‘disrespect/insult’

• yājakāḥ: sacrificers, priests
• yājakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; subject of avajānanti

• patitam: a fallen man, outcaste
• patitam: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; kta-PPP from √pat; used as noun ‘fallen/outcaste’; upamāna with yathā

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka (comparative particle/उपमा) ‘as/like’

• ugra-pratigrahītāram: a harsh/illicit gift-taker
• ugra-pratigrahītāram: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + prati-√grah (धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya ‘ugraḥ pratigrahītā’ (one who takes harsh/illicit gifts); pratigrahītṛ = agent noun (tṛc/तृच्) from prati-√grah

• kāmayānam: a lustful man
• kāmayānam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmayāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; present participle/agentive from √kam ‘to desire’ in sense ‘lustful man’; upamāna with iva

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka ‘like’

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Upamā-kartṛ (उपमा-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; subject (implied) in simile: ‘as women (disrespect...)’

Context

A learned person but skilled in contrivances, a warrior with passion for wealth and a man ever engaged in corrupting the minds of servants must be slain. A king who does not kill them is himself killed in due course.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• women (striyaḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma in rulership includes restraint in revenue and conduct: a king must not become infamous for wrongful taking (adharma in collection) or for uncontrolled desire; social trust is a moral asset.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues his examination of Bharata’s kingship, asking whether respected social groups hold him in esteem and whether his conduct is beyond reproach.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata is implicitly urged toward integrity (śīla) and moderation—so that the righteous (priests) and society at large do not lose respect.