Valmiki Ramayana 2.97.22 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 22

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Devanagari script

अथवा नौ ध्रुवं मन्ये मन्यमान स्सुखोचितौ।वनवासमनुध्याय गृहाय प्रतिनेष्यति।।।।

Transliteration

athavā nau dhruvaṃ manye manyamānaḥ sukhocitau | vanavāsam anudhyāya gṛhāya pratineṣyati ||

Translation

किंवा—मला हे निश्चय वाटते—आपण सुखास योग्य आहोत असे मानून, आपल्या वनवासाचा विचार करून, तो आपल्याला घरी परत नेण्यासाठी आला आहे.

Word by Word

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or rather)

• nau: us two
• nau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (Accusative/Dative dual: us two/to us two)

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative: certainly)

• manye: I think
• manye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• manyamānaḥ: thinking/considering
• manyamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• sukhocitau: accustomed to comfort
• sukhocitau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (कृदन्त, √uc धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सुखे उचितौ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया द्विवचन (Accusative dual)

• vanavāsam: forest-dwelling
• vanavāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वने वासः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• anudhyāya: having thought over
• anudhyāya: Purvakala (पूर्वकालः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive): having reflected upon

• gṛhāya: to home
• gṛhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (Dative singular)

• pratineṣyati: will lead back
• pratineṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√nī (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Or rather having thought of the adversities of dwelling in a forest and also by realising that both of us are accustomed to comforts, I think he has certainly come to take us back home.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Ayodhyā (implied by 'home')
• Forest exile (vanavāsa)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as a conscious choice beyond comfort: the contrast between ‘sukhocita’ life and forest hardship highlights commitment to duty over ease.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma hypothesizes that the arriving party may intend to end their exile, reasoning that elders may worry about their hardship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s discernment and self-awareness—he acknowledges hardship and how others may perceive their capacity to endure it.