Shloka 44

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिच्चैत्यशतैर्जुष्ट स्सुनिविष्टजनाकुलः।देवस्थानैः प्रपाभिश्च तटाकैश्चोपशोभितः।।2.100.43।।प्रहृष्टनरनारीकस्समाजोत्सवशोभितः।सुकृष्टसीमा पशुमान्हिंसाभिः परिवर्जितः।।2.100.44।।अदेवमातृको रम्य श्श्वापदैः परिवर्जितः।परित्यक्तो भयैस्सर्वैः खनिभिश्चोपशोभितः।।2.100.45।।विवर्जितो नरैः पापैर्मम पूर्वै स्सुरक्षितः।कच्चिज्जनपदस्स्फीतः सुखं वसति राघव।।2.100.46।।

Transliteration

indriyāṇāṃ jayaṃ buddhyā ṣāḍguṇyaṃ daiva-mānuṣam |

kṛtyaṃ viṃśati-vargaṃ ca tathā prakṛti-maṇḍalam ||

yātrā-daṇḍa-vidhānaṃ ca dvi-yonī sandhi-vigrahau |

kaccid etān mahāprājña yathāvad anumanyase ||

Translation

ఓ మహాప్రాజ్ఞ! నీవు బుద్ధిచేత ఇంద్రియజయాన్ని, షాడ్గుణ్యనీతిని, దైవజన్యమూ మానవజన్యమూ అయిన విపత్తుల వివేచనను, రాజకార్యాల విం శతివర్గాన్ని, అలాగే ప్రకృతిమండలాన్ని యథావిధిగా అనుసరిస్తున్నావా? ఇంకా యాత్రా-వ్యవస్థ, దండవిధానం, మరియు సంధి-విగ్రహమనే ద్విమార్గాలను కూడా నీవు సముచితంగా నిర్ణయిస్తున్నావా?

Word by Word

• prahṛṣṭa-nara-nārīkaḥ: having joyful men and women
• prahṛṣṭa-nara-nārīkaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied janapadaḥ (country)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prahṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √hṛṣ्) + nara (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (तद्धित)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); समासः: प्रहृष्टाः नरनार्यः यस्मिन् (locative-sense determinative)

• samāja-utsava-śobhitaḥ: adorned with assemblies and festivals
• samāja-utsava-śobhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied janapadaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samāja (प्रातिपदिक) + utsava (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhita (कृदन्त, √śubh/√śubh् ‘to shine/adorn’)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; समासः: समाजैः उत्सवैः च शोभितः (instrumental-sense determinative)

• su-kṛṣṭa-sīmā: with well-ploughed boundaries/fields
• su-kṛṣṭa-sīmā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied bhūmiḥ/janapadaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √kṛṣ् ‘to plough’) + sīmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā Ekavacana; कर्मधारयः: सुकृष्टा सīmā यस्य/यस्याः (well-ploughed boundary/fields)

• paśumān: possessing cattle
• paśumān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied janapadaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + -mat (मतुप् तद्धित)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• hiṃsābhiḥ: by acts of violence
• hiṃsābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / Hetu (हेतु) with parivarjitaḥ (avoided by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiṃsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• parivarjitaḥ: devoid of / avoided (violence)
• parivarjitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of implied janapadaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√vṛj (धातु) → parivarjita (कृदन्त, past passive participle/क्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), passive sense: ‘having been avoided’

Context

O Bharata, my country which is marked with hundreds of sanctuaries near villages where life of the people is made comfortable, where there are shrines, water distribution facilities and tanks, which is wellploughed and rich in cattlewealth, free from violence and independent of rain. It is enchanting. It is safe from wild animals. With fears expelled, free from sinful people, adorned with mines and wellprotected by my ancestors, it is prosperous and I hope people are living comfortably.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• sandhi (peace)
• vigraha (war)
• daṇḍa (punishment/justice)

FAQs

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

Ethical governance begins with self-mastery (indriya-jaya) and proceeds through disciplined, knowledge-based statecraft—justice, diplomacy, and war only when righteous and necessary.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma tests Bharata’s preparedness to rule by asking whether he follows classical principles of governance, punishment, diplomacy, and strategic decision-making.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and restraint: wisdom that controls impulses and applies power (daṇḍa) and diplomacy (sandhi) with discernment.