Valmiki Ramayana 2.78.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 21

अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः · Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint

Mantharā Episode

Devanagari script

तं प्रेक्ष्य भरतः क्रुद्धं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत् ।

अवध्या स्सर्वभूतानां प्रमदाः क्षम्यतामिति ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.78.21

Transliteration

taṁ prekṣya bharataḥ kruddhaṁ śatrughnam idam abravīt |

avadhyāḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ pramadāḥ kṣamyatām iti ||21||

Translation

Ujrzawszy rozgniewanego Śatrughnę, Bharata rzekł do niego: "Kobiety nie powinny być zabijane, wśród wszystkich istot. Niech jej będzie wybaczone."

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Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• प्रेक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; उपसर्गः प्र-; पूर्वक्रिया (having seen)

• भरतः: Bharata
• भरतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रुद्धम्: angry, enraged
• क्रुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying śatrughnam)

• शत्रुघ्नम्: Shatrughna
• शत्रुघ्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शत्रून् हन्ति इति)

• इदम्: this (speech)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (refers to following speech)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अवध्याः: not to be killed, inviolable
• अवध्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• प्रमदाः: women
• प्रमदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्षम्यताम्: let (her) be forgiven
• क्षम्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), कर्मणि-प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आज्ञार्थे/विध्यर्थे (let it be forgiven / may (she) be pardoned)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Context

Bharata, addressing the enraged Satrughna said Of all beings a lady is not to be killed. Pardon her.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Śatrughna
• women (generic category; contextually Kaikeyī/Mantharā)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is restraint and non-lethal conduct: even in righteous anger, one must not cross into adharma by violence against protected persons; forgiveness is urged.

What is the narrative situation?

Śatrughna is furious and poised for violence; Bharata intervenes to stop him and insists on pardon.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s kṣamā (forbearance) and nīti (wise governance of emotion), prioritizing moral limits over vengeance.