Shloka 14

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

इष्वस्त्रवरसम्पन्नमर्थशास्त्र विशारदम्।सुधन्वानमुपाध्यायं कच्चित्त्वं तात मन्यसे।।।।

Transliteration

iṣvastravarasampannam arthaśāstra-viśāradam | sudhanvānam upādhyāyaṃ kaccit tvaṃ tāta manyase ||

Translation

హే తాత, శ్రేష్ఠమైన ఇష్వస్త్ర విద్యలో నిపుణుడై, అర్థశాస్త్రంలో విశారదుడైన నీ ఉపాధ్యాయుడు సుధన్వానుని నీవు యథోచితంగా గౌరవిస్తున్నావా?

Word by Word

• iṣva-astravara-sampannam: endowed with excellent arrows and weapons
• iṣva-astravara-sampannam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'upādhyāyam' (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣva (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (कृदन्त; √pad/√pād? as 'sampanna' from √pad with sam-; प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (singular); samāsa: iṣva+astra+vara (determinative) qualifying 'sampanna' = 'endowed with excellent arrows and weapons'

• artha-śāstra-viśāradam: skilled in arthaśāstra (statecraft)
• artha-śāstra-viśāradam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'upādhyāyam' (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; samāsa: arthaśāstra (tatpuruṣa) + viśārada (one skilled in)

• sudhanvānam: Sudhanvan
• sudhanvānam: Karma (कर्म) / object in apposition to 'upādhyāyam'
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudhanvan (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• upādhyāyam: teacher, preceptor
• upādhyāyam: Karma (कर्म) of 'manyase' (whom you consider/think of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• kaccit: I hope; is it so?
• kaccit: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक/आशङ्कार्थक अव्यय) expressing 'I hope/Is it the case?'

• tvam: you
• tvam: Kartā (कर्ता) of 'manyase'
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (by usage), Prathamā (Nominative/1st), Ekavacana

• tāta: dear child
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• manyase: do you think/consider
• manyase: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

Context

I hope you treat with respect Sudhanva who is equipped with the most formidable arrows and other weapons propelled by mantras and a master in the science of state-craft.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Weapons (iṣvastra)

FAQs

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

Dharma in rulership includes disciplined learning: a king must respect teachers of both defense and governance so power is guided by knowledge, not impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma checks whether Bharata maintains proper mentorship and training structures essential for protecting and administering the realm.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respect for learning and qualified instruction—an ideal of the disciplined ruler.