Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 19

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिदर्थं विनिश्चित्य लघुमूलं महोदयम्।क्षिप्रमारभसे कर्तुं न दीर्घयसि राघव।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid arthaṃ viniścitya laghumūlaṃ mahodayam | kṣipram ārabhase kartuṃ na dīrghayasi rāghava ||

Translation

ହେ ରାଘବ (ଭରତ)! ଅଳ୍ପ ସାଧନରେ ମହା ଲାଭ ଦେଇଥିବା କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ତୁମେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରିଲେ, ତାହାକୁ ଶୀଘ୍ର ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ସାଧନ କରୁଛ କି? ଅନାବଶ୍ୟକ ଭାବେ ଦେରି କରୁନାହଁ କି?

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• artham: a task/undertaking
• artham: Karma (object) of 'ārabhase'
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• viniścitya: having decided
• viniścitya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया) modifying 'ārabhase'
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-√ci (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्): viniścitya; sense: 'having determined/ascertained'

• laghu-mūlam: with small effort
• laghu-mūlam: Viśeṣaṇa of 'artham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'having a small basis/effort' qualifying 'artham'

• mahā-udayam: yielding great benefit
• mahā-udayam: Viśeṣaṇa of 'artham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'having great result' qualifying 'artham'

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipram (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• ārabhase: you begin/undertake
• ārabhase: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√rabh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• kartum: to do, to carry out
• kartum: Prayojana/Anvaya with 'ārabhase' (complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्): 'to do/execute'

• na: not
• na: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• dīrghayasi: you prolong/delay
• dīrghayasi: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dīrghaya (धातु; denominative from dīrgha)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• rāghava: O Rāghava (Bharata)
• rāghava: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

Context

O Bharata, having determined on an endeavour involving a little effort and yielding great results, I trust you commence to execute it quickly without procrastination?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata (Rāghava)

FAQs

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

Dharma in governance includes timely, decisive action: once a beneficial policy is rightly judged, postponement becomes a moral and practical failure toward public welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues examining Bharata’s fitness to rule by asking whether he executes well-judged plans promptly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness and diligence (utsāha): acting promptly on sound judgment for the common good.