Valmiki Ramayana 2.112.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 112, Shloka 23
पादुकाप्रदानम्
The Gift of the Sandals and Delegated Kingship
स पादुके सम्प्रणम्य रामं वचनमब्रवीत्चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि जटाचीरधरो ह्याहम्।।2.112.23।।फलमूलाशनो वीर भवेयं रघुनन्दन।तवाऽगमनमाकाङ्क्षान्वसन्वै नगराद्बहिः।।2.112.24।।तव पादुकयोर्न्यस्तराज्यतन्त्रः परन्तप।
sa pāduke sampraṇamya rāmaṃ vacanam abravīt |
caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi jaṭācīradharo hy aham || 2.112.23 ||
phalamūlāśano vīra bhaveyaṃ raghunandana |
tavāgamanam ākāṅkṣan vasan vai nagarād bahiḥ || 2.112.24 ||
tava pādukayor nyasta-rājyatantraḥ parantapa |
Bharata menunduk sujud kepada paduka suci itu lalu berkata kepada Rama: “Selama empat belas tahun, wahai pahlawan, wahai kegembiraan wangsa Raghu, aku akan berambut gimbal, berbaju kulit kayu, dan hidup dengan buah serta akar. Kepada paduka-Mu inilah aku serahkan urusan pemerintahan, wahai penewas musuh; aku akan tinggal di luar kota, menanti kepulangan-Mu.”
Bharata bowed before the sandals and said to Rama, 'O tormentorr of enemies, O hero, wearing matted locks and bark garments, living on fruits and roots, placing the responsibility of ruling the kingdom on your sandals and looking forward to your arrival, I shall reside outside the city for fourteen years.'
FAQs
Trusteeship in power: Bharata refuses kingship as possession and treats rule as a sacred duty carried out on Rama’s behalf, grounded in truth and rightful succession.
After receiving the sandals, Bharata vows an ascetic life mirroring exile and declares he will govern only through the symbol of Rama’s authority while living outside the capital.
Bharata’s renunciation and fidelity (niṣkāma-sevā): he embraces hardship to uphold Rama’s satya and the kingdom’s dharma.
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