Valmiki Ramayana 2.101.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 101, Shloka 1

भरतस्य धर्मनिश्चयः · Bharata Affirms Lineage

Dharma and Urges Rama’s Coronation

Devanagari script

रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा भरतः प्रत्युवाच ह ।

किं मे धर्माद्विहीनस्य राजधर्मः करिष्यति ॥१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.101.1

Transliteration

rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā bharataḥ pratyuvāca ha |

kiṃ me dharmād vihīnasya rājadharmaḥ kariṣyati ||1||

Translation

രാമന്റെ വചനം കേട്ട് ഭരതൻ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു: “ധർമ്മത്തിൽ നിന്നു വിട്ടുപോയ എനിക്കു രാജധർമ്മം എന്തു ഉപകാരമാകും?”

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Word by Word

• rāmasya: of Rāma
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana

• vacanam: words; statement
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā absolutive (क्त्वा)

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ lakāra (Aorist), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed (quotative)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Smṛti/itihāsa-nipāta (quotative particle)

• kim: what (use)?
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; interrogative used predicatively

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (Dative), Ekavacana; enclitic

• dharmāt: from dharma; from righteousness
• dharmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana

• vihīnasya: devoid (of)
• vihīnasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-hī (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle used adjectivally, Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana; qualifies me (understood: 'of me')

• rājadharmaḥ: royal duty
• rājadharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja-dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; samāsa: rāja + dharma

• kariṣyati: will do; will be of use
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ lakāra (Simple Future), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

Context

On listening to Rama, Bharata replied Of what use shall be these royal duties to me, when I have fallen from righteousness?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Dharma
• Rājadharma

FAQs

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

Authority without righteousness is meaningless; rājadharma has value only when grounded in personal integrity and moral legitimacy.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata responds to Rāma’s counsel by expressing moral anguish and refusing to accept a kingship he views as tainted by adharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscience and humility—Bharata prioritizes dharma over power.