Valmiki Ramayana 2.75.46: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 46

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः

Sarga 75: Bharata and Kausalya · Reproach, Oaths, and Reconciliation

Spoken by BharataSetting: Ayodhyā (implied)

Devanagari script

देवतानां पित्रूणां च मातापित्रोस्तथैव च ।

मा स्म कार्षीत्स शुश्रूषां यस्यार्योऽनुमते गतः ॥४६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.75.46

Transliteration

devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca mātā-pitros tathaiva ca |

mā sma kārṣīt sa śuśrūṣāṃ yasyāryo 'numate gataḥ ||46||

Translation

Niech człowiek, za czyją zgodą mój szlachetny brat udał się na wygnanie, nigdy nie oddaje należytej służby bóstwom, przodkom, ani matce i ojcu.

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Word by Word

• devatānām: of the gods / to the gods (service)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• pitr̥ṇām: of the ancestors
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitr̥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चयः)

• mātā-pitroḥ: of the parents
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + pitr̥ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dual compound (द्वन्द्व), Genitive (षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); 'of mother and father'
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Compound: Dvandva

• tathā: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• eva: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपातः)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चयः)

• mā: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prohibitive particle (निषेधार्थक निपातः)
• Role: Nishedha (निषेधः)

• sma: indeed (in prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपातः) with prohibition
• Role: Nishedha (निषेधः)

• kārṣīt: should do
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपदम); with mā: 'should not do'
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• saḥ: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• śuśrūṣām: service/attendance
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of kārṣīt
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• yasya: whose
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• āryaḥ: the noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• anumate: with approval
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu+man (धातु)
• Form: Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) of 'anumata' (कृत्: क्त) used adverbially: 'with consent'
• Role: Hetu (हेतुः)

• gataḥ: gone (exiled)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (कृत्: क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)

Sandhi Notes

• मातापित्रोस्तथैव = mātāpitroḥ + tathā + eva
• कार्षीत्स = kārṣīt + saḥ
• यस्यार्योऽनुमते = yasya + āryaḥ + anumate

Context

May the one who counselled the exile of my esteemed brother, acquire the sin in the same way as a person who fails to show obedience to the gods and the ancestors and to serve his parents!

The teaching

One who enables adharma becomes unfit for the very services that sustain cosmic and familial order.

Duties in tension

• Political expediency vs foundational dharma of service to devas/pitṛs/parents
• Speech restraint vs upholding sacred norms

Ethical theme

Filial piety and ritual duty

How it resolves

Normative condemnation: loss of capacity for rightful service

For your practice

Encourages daily reverence—deva-pūjā, pitṛ-smaraṇa/śrāddha spirit, and care for parents as core sādhana.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Stern, normative, condemnatory

Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-dharma
• Mātṛ-pitṛ-sevā
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Gods (devatāḥ)
• Ancestors (pitaraḥ)
• Rama (āryaḥ, implied)
• Bharata (speaker, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is anchored in reverence and service to gods, ancestors, and parents; neglect of these is portrayed as a profound moral failing.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata condemns the enabler of Rama’s exile by wishing upon him the loss of foundational duties and piety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Filial and sacred duty as a measure of character—Bharata’s moral universe places service (śuśrūṣā) at the center of righteousness.