Shloka 31

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

बलवन्तश्च कच्चित्ते मुख्या युध्दविशारदाः।दृष्टापदाना विक्रान्तास्त्वया सत्कृत्यमानिताः।।।।

Transliteration

balavantaś ca kaccit te mukhyā yuddha-viśāradāḥ |

dṛṣṭāpadānā vikrāntās tvayā satkṛtya mānitāḥ ||

Translation

ശക്തരായും യുദ്ധവിദഗ്ധരായും പ്രവൃത്തിയിൽ തെളിഞ്ഞവരുമായ ധീരനായ മുൻനിര സൈനികരെ നീ യഥാവിധി സത്കരിച്ചു ആദരിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ, അവർ നിനക്കാൽ മാനിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു എന്നു അനുഭവിക്കുവാൻ?

Word by Word

• balavantaḥ: powerful
• balavantaḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifies mukhyāḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

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

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana; sambandha with mukhyāḥ (your)

• mukhyāḥ: chief men, leading soldiers
• mukhyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; subject of mānitāḥ (passive)

• yuddha-viśāradāḥ: skilled in war
• yuddha-viśāradāḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuddha + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (viṣaya): yuddhe viśāradaḥ; qualifies mukhyāḥ

• dṛṣṭāpadānāḥ: of proven exploits
• dṛṣṭāpadānāḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa (√dṛś, क्त) + apadāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: dṛṣṭāni apadānāni yeṣām (whose exploits are seen/proven) used adjectivally

• vikrāntāḥ: valiant
• vikrāntāḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikrānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; kta from vi-√kram; qualifies mukhyāḥ

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartṛ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana; agent in passive with mānitāḥ

• satkṛtya: having honoured
• satkṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sat-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Avyaya; absolutive/gerund (ktvā/ल्यप्) from sat-√kṛ ‘having honoured’

• mānitāḥ: respected
• mānitāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; past passive participle (kta), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; passive predicate ‘are respected’

Context

I trust you honour and respect those prominent soldiers who are courageous, powerful, skilled in war and who have proven heroic exploits.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma includes honoring merit and service: recognition and respect sustain morale and loyalty, preventing decay in the protective arm of the state.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma checks whether Bharata maintains the army through respect and proper treatment of distinguished fighters.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gratitude and discernment: a ruler must know who truly serves and must honour them appropriately.