Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 18

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

कामकारो महाप्राज्ञ गुरूणां सर्वदाऽनघ।उपपन्नेषु दारेषु पुत्रेषु च विधीयते।।।।

Transliteration

kāmakāro mahāprājña gurūṇāṃ sarvadā ’nagha | upapanneṣu dāreṣu putreṣu ca vidhīyate ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਮਹਾ-ਪ੍ਰਾਜ्ञ, ਨਿਰਦੋਸ਼, ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਿਖਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਯਥਾਵਿਧਿ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਪਤਨੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਪੁੱਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਸ਼ੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਗੁਰੂਜਨ ਸਦਾ ਆਪਣੀ ਇੱਛਾ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਵਰਤ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• कामकारः: acting at will
• कामकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कामस्य कारः = acting according to desire

• महाप्राज्ञ: O very wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महा + प्राज्ञ

• गुरूणाम्: of elders/teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• उपपन्नेषु: in duly established/legitimate (relations)
• उपपन्नेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपपन्न (कृदन्त; उप + √पद्/पद्यते)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासंगतं (contextual)

• दारेषु: in wives (as spouses)
• दारेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• पुत्रेषु: in sons
• पुत्रेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• च: and/also
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विधीयते: is prescribed/laid down
• विधीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Context

O sagacious and sinless one, it is laid down (in sastras) that elders when married can always act at their free will towards their wives and sons.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• elders (guru)
• wives (dāra)
• sons (putra)

FAQs

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

Acceptance of legitimate elder authority: dharma-text tradition grants elders discretionary authority within the household order, urging the younger to respond without resentment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama frames the crisis within a broader dharmic norm: elders’ decisions in family matters carry binding force, even when painful.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s commitment to śāstric reasoning and calm instruction rather than emotional retaliation.