Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 13

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्देवान्पित्रून् मातृ़र्गुरून्पितृसमानपि।वृद्धांश्च तात वैद्यांश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चाभिमन्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid devān pitrūn mātṝr gurūn pitṛsamān api | vṛddhāṃś ca tāta vaidyāṃś ca brāhmaṇāṃś cābhimanyase ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਤਾਤ ਭਰਾ, ਕੀ ਤੂੰ ਦੇਵਤਿਆਂ, ਪਿਤਰਾਂ, ਮਾਤਾਵਾਂ, ਗੁਰੂਆਂ, ਪਿਤਾ-ਸਮਾਨ ਲੋਕਾਂ, ਬੁਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ, ਵੈਦਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਯਥੋਚਿਤ ਆਦਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈਂ?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I hope
• कच्चित्: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पितॄन्: fathers/ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मातॄन्: mothers
• मातॄन्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• गुरून्: teachers/elders
• गुरून्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• पितृसमान्: those equal to (one's) father
• पितृसमान्: कर्म (Karma/object; qualifier of implied 'जनान्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पितृवत् समानाः (equal to a father)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• वृद्धान्: the aged
• वृद्धान्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तात: dear
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वैद्यान्: physicians
• वैद्यान्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ब्राह्मणान्: brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अभिमन्यसे: do you revere/esteem
• अभिमन्यसे: क्रिया (Kriyā/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'revere/hold in regard'

Context

Dear brother, I trust you continue to pay homage to gods, father, mothers, teachers, relations equal to your father, aged people, physicians and brahmins.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Devas
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Mothers
• Gurus
• Elders
• Brahmins

FAQs

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

Dharma is relational and reverential: society stands on honoring divine order, ancestry, caregivers, teachers, and protectors of health and learning.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, though exiled, instructs Bharata on the foundations of righteous kingship and personal conduct through a checklist of reverences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s didactic compassion and Bharata’s expected reverence—showing humility before those who sustain dharma and wellbeing.