Shloka 48

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

तेषां गुप्तिपरीहारैः कच्चित्ते भरणं कृतम्।रक्ष्या हि राज्ञा धर्मेण सर्वे विषयवासिनः।।।।

Transliteration

teṣāṃ guptiparīhāraiḥ kaccit te bharaṇaṃ kṛtam |

rakṣyā hi rājñā dharmeṇa sarve viṣayavāsinaḥ || 2.100.48 ||

Translation

അവരെ സംരക്ഷിച്ച് ദുരിതങ്ങൾ അകറ്റി അവരുടെ പോഷണം നീ ഉറപ്പാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ടോ? രാജ്യത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന എല്ലാ പ്രജകളെയും രാജാവ് ധർമ്മാനുസാരമായി തീർച്ചയായും കാക്കേണ്ടതാണ്.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (of them)

• गुप्ति-परिहारैः: by protection and prevention (of harms)
• गुप्ति-परिहारैः: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gupti (प्रातिपदिक) + parihāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गुप्तिभिः च परिहारैः च)

• कच्चित्: I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (I hope)

• ते: by you
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (by you/for them under you); अत्र कर्तृसम्बन्धे ‘त्वया’ अर्थे प्रयोगः (idiomatic)

• भरणम्: maintenance
• भरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्म (maintenance as thing done)

• कृतम्: has been done
• कृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘done’ (भरणं कृतम्)

• रक्ष्याः: must be protected
• रक्ष्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakṣ (धातु) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय, यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (ण्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be protected’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (by the king)

• धर्मेण: with righteousness
• धर्मेण: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/रीति (with righteousness)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• विषय-वासिनः: inhabitants of the realm
• विषय-वासिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विषये वसन्ति)

Context

I trust you nourish them and also afford portection and prevent adversities. A king must protect all those people living in his country in accordanc with righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata

FAQs

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

The king’s dharma is protective care: not only punishing wrongs but proactively preventing suffering and ensuring the people’s basic maintenance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma instructs/assesses Bharata’s governance, stressing that the ruler is responsible for the safety and welfare of all residents.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Duty-bound compassion (dayā with discipline): governance that combines security measures with righteous responsibility.