Valmiki Ramayana 2.84.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 84, Shloka 14

गुहस्य सन्देहः, गङ्गातीर-रक्षा, भरतस्य सत्कारः

Guha’s Suspicion, Securing the Ganga Bank, and Hospitality to Bharata

Spoken by BharataSetting: Bharata’s camp near Niṣāda domain (Śṛṅgaverapura implied)Coordination step in the search for Rama

Devanagari script

एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सुमन्त्राद्भरत श्शुभम् ।

उवाच वचनं शीघ्रं गुहः पश्यतु मामिति ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.84.14

Transliteration

etat tu vacanaṃ śrutvā sumantrād bharataḥ śubham |

uvāca vacanaṃ śīghraṃ guhaḥ paśyatu mām iti ||14||

Translation

Usłyszawszy te pomyślne słowa od Sumantry, Bharata niezwłocznie odpowiedział: Niech Guha natychmiast spotka się ze mną.

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Word by Word

• etat: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana (qualifying vacanam)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• tu: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• vacanam: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• śrutvā: having heard
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), avyaya-prayoga
• Role: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)

• sumantrāt: from Sumantra
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī-vibhakti (abl/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

• bharata: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• śubham: auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana (qualifying etat vacanam)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• uvāca: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• vacanam: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• śīghram: quickly/at once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• guhaḥ: Guha
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• paśyatu: let (him) see
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• mām: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• iti: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• etat tu → etattu
• sumantrāt bharata → sumantrādbharata
• paśyatu mām iti → paśyatu māmiti

Context

On hearing these auspicious words of Sumantra, Bharata said Let Guha see me at once.

The teaching

When counsel is dharmically sound, delay becomes a form of negligence; promptness is itself a virtue in righteous pursuit.

Ethical theme

Personal virtue / rāja-dharma

For your practice

Encourages niścaya and तत्क्षण-कर्तव्यता (immediate right action) in one’s practice.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Decisive, swift, purposeful

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Leadership

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Sumantra
• Guha

FAQs

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

Prompt, respectful engagement: a leader should quickly meet a relevant ally/informant to pursue truth and act responsibly.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata, accepting Sumantra’s counsel, orders that Guha be brought for audience immediately.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness aligned with propriety—swift action without arrogance.