Shloka 73

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिदेषैव ते बुद्धिर्यथोक्ता मम राघव।आयुष्या च यशस्या च धर्मकामार्थ संहिता।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid eṣaiva te buddhir yathoktā mama rāghava | āyuṣyā ca yaśasyā ca dharmakāmārtha saṃhitā ||

Translation

ഹേ രാഘവാ! ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ തന്നെയാണോ നിന്റെ ബുദ്ധി—ആയുസ്സിനെ പോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നതും യശസ്സിനെ വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്നതും ധർമ്മ-കാമ-അർത്ഥങ്ങളോട് സമന്വിതവുമായത്?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I trust?
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/particle

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; refers to बुद्धिः

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• यथोक्ता: as said
• यथोक्ता: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा + उक्त (वच् धातु + क्त, PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; predicate adjective agreeing with बुद्धिः: 'as stated'

• मम: by me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन

• राघव: O Raghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन

• आयुष्या: conducive to long life
• आयुष्या: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; predicate adjective to बुद्धिः: 'life-promoting'

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

• यशस्या: fame-giving
• यशस्या: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; predicate adjective to बुद्धिः

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

• धर्मकामार्थसंहिता: aligned with dharma, pleasure, and prosperity
• धर्मकामार्थसंहिता: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + काम + अर्थ + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; adjective to बुद्धिः; समास: धर्म-काम-अर्थैः संहिता (instrumental-tatpuruṣa / associative)

Context

O Bharata, I trust your intellect is in conformity with what I said conducive to long life, and fame in accordance with righteousness, (legitimate) pleasure and prosperity.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Kāma
• Artha
• Raghu lineage (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

A sound intellect integrates life’s aims under dharma: artha and kāma are legitimate only when aligned with righteousness and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma tests whether Bharata has internalized dharmic instruction suitable for rulership—bringing honor and stability rather than impulsive desire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence (buddhi) guided by dharma—wisdom that balances human goals without abandoning moral law.