Valmiki Ramayana 2.104.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 20

भरतस्य प्रार्थना · रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

वने वा चीरवसनं सौम्य कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम् ।

राज्ये वाऽपि महाराजो मां वासयितुमीश्वरः ॥२०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.104.20

Transliteration

vane vā cīravasanaṃ saumya kṛṣṇājināmbaram |

rājye vā ’pi mahārājo māṃ vāsayitum īśvaraḥ ||20||

Translation

O łagodny, czy mam przebywać w lesie, nosząc szatę z kory i okrycie z czarnej skóry antylopy, czy też w samym królestwie - jedynie wielki król ma władzę mnie tam osiedlić.

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Word by Word

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• चीरवसनम्: bark-cloth clothing
• चीरवसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चीर-वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: चीरस्य वसनम्

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

• कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्: a garment of black antelope-skin
• कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णाजिन-अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कृष्णाजिनस्य अम्बरम्

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• महाराजः: the great king
• महाराजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महान् राजा

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वासयितुम्: to make (me) dwell/accommodate
• वासयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु) (णिच् causative: वासय-)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)

• ईश्वरः: is able/competent
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समर्थः इत्यर्थे

Context

O handsome one, king Dasaratha is alone competent to accommodate me in the forest wearing bark robes and antelope skin as garment or install me in the kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• Daśaratha (mahārāja, implied by provided meaning/translation)
• forest (vana)
• kingdom (rājya)
• bark-cloth (cīra)

FAQs

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

Fidelity to paternal authority and truth: Rama frames his life-placement (forest or throne) as determined by the rightful king/father’s command, not personal desire.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama clarifies to Bharata that his residence—ascetic exile or royal life—depends on the sovereign authority of the great king (Daśaratha), i.e., the binding nature of the father’s word.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s unwavering adherence to satya and duty—he accepts hardship as legitimate when grounded in rightful command.