Valmiki Ramayana 2.70.2 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 70, Shloka 2

भरतस्य दूतसमागमः तथा केकयराजनः अनुज्ञा

Bharata Meets the Messengers; Kekaya King Grants Leave

Devanagari script

भरते ब्रुवति स्वप्नं दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहनाः।प्रविश्यासह्यपरिखं रम्यं राजगृहं पुरम्।।2.70.1।।समागम्य तु राज्ञा च राजपुत्रेण चार्चिताः राज्ञः पादौ गृहीत्वा तु तमूचुर्भरतं वचः।।2.70.2।।

Transliteration

bharate bruvati svapnaṃ dūtās te klāntavāhanāḥ | praviśya asahyaparikhaṃ ramyaṃ rājagṛhaṃ puram ||2.70.1||

samāgamya tu rājñā ca rājaputreṇa cārcitāḥ | rājñaḥ pādau gṛhītvā tu tam ūcuḥ bharataṃ vacaḥ ||2.70.2||

Translation

Enquanto Bharata falava de seu sonho, aqueles mensageiros—montados em cavalos exaustos—entraram na bela cidade de Rājagṛha, cercada por um fosso intransponível. Encontrando o rei de Kekaya e o príncipe, foram honrados; e, após tocarem reverentemente os pés do rei, transmitiram a Bharata a sua mensagem.

Word by Word

• samāgamya: having met
• samāgamya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले; indeclinable

• tu: but/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/समुच्चय-भेदक; particle

• rājñā: by/with the king
• rājñā: Sahakari (सहकारी/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• rājaputreṇa: by/with the king's son
• rājaputreṇa: Sahakari (सहकारी/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: राज्ञः पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• arcitāḥ: were honored
• arcitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate to दूताः

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• pādau: (two) feet
• pādau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; accusative dual

• gṛhītvā: having taken/held (touched reverently)
• gṛhītvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले; indeclinable

• tu: then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; particle

• tam: to him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; pronoun referring to Bharata

• ūcuḥ: they said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• bharatam: Bharata
• bharatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of addressing/speaking

• vacaḥ: words/message
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular (collective)

Context

While Bharata was relating his dream, the mounted messengers (from Ayodhya) with their weary horses entered the lovely city of Rajagriha surrounded by an impassable moat. There they met the king of Kekaya country and his son, Yuddhajit and were received with honour. Touching the feet of the king with reverence, they said to Bharata:

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• messengers (dūta)
• Rājagṛha

FAQs

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

Dharma expressed as maryādā (proper conduct): messengers follow royal etiquette—being received with honor and showing reverence to the king—before delivering their urgent message.

What is the narrative situation?

Messengers from Ayodhya arrive at Rājagṛha in Kekaya while Bharata is recounting a dream; they meet the king and Yudhājit and then prepare to speak to Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and decorum—urgent news is still conveyed through respectful protocol, reflecting the Ramayana’s stress on righteous social order.