Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 22

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

एताभ्यां धर्मशीलाभ्यां वनं गच्छेति राघव।मातापितृभ्यामुक्तोऽहं कथमन्यत्समाचरे।।।।

Transliteration

etābhyāṁ dharmaśīlābhyāṁ vanaṁ gaccheti rāghava |

mātāpitṛbhyām ukto ’haṁ katham anyat samācaret ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਰਾਘਵ (ਭਰਤ), ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੋ ਧਰਮਸ਼ੀਲ ਮਾਤਾ-ਪਿਤਾ ਨੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ‘ਜੰਗਲ ਨੂੰ ਜਾ’ ਆਖਿਆ ਹੈ; ਫਿਰ ਮੈਂ ਹੋਰ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਕਰ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ?

Word by Word

• एताभ्याम्: by these two
• एताभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• धर्मशीलाभ्याम्: by the two righteous-natured (ones)
• धर्मशीलाभ्याम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मशील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: धर्मे शीलं यस्य

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• राघव: O Raghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मातापितृभ्याम्: by mother and father
• मातापितृभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माता-पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (itaretara), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; माता च पिता च

• उक्तः: having been told
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अहम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: how)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should do/act
• समाचरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; (अहम्-कर्तृकं, अर्थतः उत्तमपुरुष-प्रश्न)

Context

O Bharata, I have been commanded by our righteous father and mother to go to the forest. How can any one act otherwise?

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• Dasharatha
• Kausalya

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as steadfast obedience to a rightful command from parents/elders, even when it brings personal hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama justifies his forest-dwelling as a direct compliance with the parental command, addressing Bharata’s concerns.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-niṣṭhā (commitment to truth/pledge) and guru-vākya-pālana (upholding the word of elders).