Valmiki Ramayana 2.75.48: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 48

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः

Sarga 75: Bharata and Kausalya · Reproach, Oaths, and Reconciliation

Spoken by BharataSetting: Ayodhyā (implied)

Devanagari script

अपास्य मातृशुश्रूषामनर्थे सोऽवतिष्ठताम् ।

दीर्घबाहुर्महावक्षाः यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥४८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.75.48

Transliteration

apāsya mātṛ-śuśrūṣām anarthe so 'vatiṣṭhatām |

dīrgha-bāhur mahā-vakṣāḥ yasyāryo 'numate gataḥ ||48||

Translation

ദീർഘബാഹുവും മഹാവക്ഷസ്സുമായ എന്റെ ആര്യ സഹോദരൻ വനവാസത്തിലേക്കു പോയത് ആരുടെ സമ്മതത്താലോ, അവൻ മാതൃശുശ്രൂഷ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് നിർഥകവും ഫലശൂന്യവുമായ കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ മാത്രം ഉറച്ചുനിൽക്കട്ടെ.

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Word by Word

• अपास्य: having abandoned
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप+अस् (धातु) → अपास्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मातृशुश्रूषाम्: service to (one's) mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'mother-service'); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अनर्थे: in misfortune/without purpose
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अवतिष्ठताम्: let him remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• दीर्घबाहुः: long-armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('long-armed'); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• महावक्षाः: broad-chested
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('broad-chested'); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• यस्य: whose
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• आर्यः: the noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अनुमते: with consent
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• गतः: gone (exiled)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् (qualifying) आर्यः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• मातृशुश्रूषामनर्थे = मातृशुश्रूषाम् + अनर्थे
• सोऽवतिष्ठताम् = सः + अवतिष्ठताम्
• यस्यार्योऽनुमते = यस्य + आर्यः + अनुमते

Context

The one who counselled the exile of my noble, long-armed and broad-chested brother be banished like the one who commited the sin of leaving the ministration to his mother and engaging himself in purposeless acts!

The teaching

Neglect of maternal service is a mark of ethical collapse; abandoning dharma traps one in anartha, while the noble exemplifies purposeful strength.

Duties in tension

• Service to mother/elders vs self-serving political maneuvering
• Pursuit of meaningful artha (dharma) vs anartha (triviality)

Ethical theme

Filial duty and right purpose (artha)

How it resolves

Didactic curse highlighting inversion of values

For your practice

Practical sādhana: daily acts of care for parents/elders; vigilance against distractions that become anartha; contemplation of Rāma as dharma-ideal.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Biting, resolute, disillusioned

Themes

• Dharma
• Mātṛ-sevā
• Ethics
• Condemnation of futility (anartha)
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama (āryaḥ; dīrgha-bāhuḥ; mahā-vakṣāḥ)
• Mother (mātṛ, generic)
• Bharata (speaker, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as purposeful duty, especially service to parents; abandoning such service for ‘anartha’ marks ethical collapse.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata continues his denunciation, contrasting Rama’s noble qualities with the supposed moral baseness of the exile’s enabler.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Valuing purposeful duty over empty activity—Bharata’s ethic rejects ‘busy’ life without righteousness.