Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 5

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

आर्यं तातः परित्यज्य कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्।गत: स्वर्ग महाबाहुः पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः।।।।

Transliteration

āryaṁ tātaḥ parityajya kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram |

gataḥ svargaṁ mahābāhuḥ putraśokābhipīḍitaḥ ||

Translation

ആര്യനേ! നിന്നെ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരമായ കര്‍മ്മം ചെയ്തു, മഹാബാഹുവായ നമ്മുടെ പിതാവ് പുത്രശോകത്തിൽ പീഡിതനായി സ്വർഗത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി.

Word by Word

• āryam: O noble one (elder brother)
• āryam: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे ‘हे आर्य’ इति (object-form used for address/affection)

• tātaḥ: father
• tātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘परि-√त्यज्’

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘√कृ’

• karma: deed, act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• suduṣkaram: very difficult
• suduṣkaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + duṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अतिशयेन दुष्करम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘karma’ इति विशेषणम्

• gataḥ: went
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) > gata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘√गम्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svargam: to heaven
• svargam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• mahābāhuḥ: mighty-armed
• mahābāhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् बाहुः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘tātaḥ’ इति विशेषणम्

• putra-śoka-abhipīḍitaḥ: afflicted by grief for his son
• putra-śoka-abhipīḍitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putra + śoka + abhi-pīḍita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुत्रशोकेन अभिपीडितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘tātaḥ’ इति विशेषणम्

Context

O my revered sire! our mighty father, having performed an impossible task of banishing you to the forest, and tortured by grief due to separation from his son, went to heaven.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Dasharatha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the moral weight of actions that violate natural bonds; separation from a righteous son becomes a source of unbearable suffering, underscoring dharma’s emphasis on family duty and compassion.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata informs Rama of Daśaratha’s death, attributing it to anguish after the exile decision.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śoka with sincerity and truth-telling—Bharata conveys painful news directly, reflecting loyalty to Rama and reverence for their father.