Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.34: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 34

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Devanagari script

धर्मविद्धर्मनित्यश्च सत्यसन्धो दृढव्रतः।

आर्यः किमब्रवीद्राजा पिता मे सत्यविक्रमः।।2.72.34।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.34

Transliteration

dharma-vid dharma-nityaś ca satya-sandho dṛḍha-vrataḥ |

āryaḥ kim abravīd rājā pitā me satya-vikramaḥ || 2.72.34 ||

Translation

ധർമ്മവിദനും ധർമ്മത്തിൽ നിത്യസ്ഥിരനും സത്യസങ്കൽപ്പനിഷ്ഠനും ദൃഢവ്രതനും ആയ, സത്യപരാക്രമനായ എന്റെ പിതാവായ ആ ആര്യരാജാവ് അവസാനം എന്തു പറഞ്ഞു?

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Word by Word

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः धर्मं वेत्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• धर्मनित्यः: ever steadfast in righteousness
• धर्मनित्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः धर्मे नित्यः इति (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यसन्धः: true to his pledge
• सत्यसन्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः सत्ये सन्धिः/प्रतिज्ञा यस्य सः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• दृढव्रतः: firm in vows
• दृढव्रतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः दृढं व्रतम् यस्य/दृढं व्रतम् (कर्मधारय)

• आर्यः: venerable sir
• आर्यः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे आदर-प्रयोगः (honorific)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; enclitic form

• सत्यविक्रमः: whose valor is truth
• सत्यविक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यविक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः सत्यः विक्रमः यस्य/सत्य-विक्रमः (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण)

Context

 What did my father, the noble king, conversant with righteous conduct, true, to his vows, one who always conducted himself in a righteous manner, whose truth was his prowess (at the time of his death)?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Satya as royal dharma: a king’s greatness is measured by fidelity to truth and vows, even when painful.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata asks Kaikeyi to report the king’s final message, framing Daśaratha’s character in terms of dharma and truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s satya-niṣṭhā (commitment to truth) and dṛḍha-vrata (steadfastness to vows).