Valmiki Ramayana 2.99.35 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 99, Shloka 35

चित्रकूटप्राप्तिः

Bharata Reaches Chitrakuta and Beholds Rama

Devanagari script

चन्दनेन महार्हेण यस्याङ्गमुपसेवितम्।मलेन तस्याङ्गमिदं कथमार्यस्य सेव्यते।।2.99.35।।

Transliteration

candanena mahārheṇa yasyāṅgam upasevitam | malena tasyāṅgam idaṃ katham āryasya sevyate ||2.99.35||

Translation

Tubuh insan mulia itu dahulu disapukan cendana yang amat berharga—bagaimanakah kini tubuhnya seolah-olah dilayani oleh debu dan kotoran?

Word by Word

• candanena: with sandal (paste)
• candanena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• mahārheṇa: very precious
• mahārheṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: mahān arhaḥ (highly valuable); Neuter, Instrumental, Singular; agrees with candanena

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• aṅgam: body/limb
• aṅgam: Karma (कर्म; of upasevitam in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• upasevitam: was anointed/served (smeared)
• upasevitam: Kriyā (क्रियाविशेषणात्मक; passive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√sev (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kridanta; past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate to aṅgam

• malena: with dirt
• malena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• aṅgam: body
• aṅgam: Karma (कर्म; of sevyate in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Nominative, Singular; determiner to aṅgam

• katham: how?
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; interrogative adverb

• āryasya: of the noble one
• āryasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• sevyate: is being served/treated
• sevyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada; passive sense ‘is served/treated’

Context

How is it that the body of my venerable brother which was once smeared with expensive, fragrant sandal paste is now covered with dust?

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata

FAQs

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

True nobility is not dependent on luxury. Dharma can require accepting physical discomfort while preserving inner purity and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata grieves over the contrast between Rāma’s former royal care and his present forest hardship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s simplicity and steadfastness; Bharata’s empathy and reverence.