Shloka 59

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

यानि मिथ्याभिशस्तानां पतन्त्यश्रूणि राघव।तानि पुत्रान्पशून्घ्नन्ति प्रीत्यर्थमनुशासतः।।।।

Transliteration

yāni mithyābhiśastānāṃ patanty aśrūṇi rāghava | tāni putrān paśūn ghnanti prītyartham anuśāsataḥ ||

Translation

హే రాఘవ (భరతా)! అబద్ధపు నిందకు గురైనవారి కన్నీళ్లు ఏవైతే పడతాయో—పాలకుడు తన ఆనందార్థమే శిక్ష విధిస్తే—ఆ కన్నీళ్లు ఆ పాలకుని కుమారులను, పశుసంపదను నశింపజేస్తాయి।

Word by Word

• yāni: which (those)
• yāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā (Nominative), Bahuvacana; relative pronoun

• mithyā-abhiśastānām: of those falsely accused
• mithyā-abhiśastānām: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय) + abhiśasta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; abhi-√śas)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘mithyā abhiśastāḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Bahuvacana

• patanti: fall
• patanti: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (पत् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), 3rd person, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• aśrūṇi: tears
• aśrūṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• rāghava: O Rāghava (Bharata)
• rāghava: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• tāni: those (tears)
• tāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Accusative (Prathamā/Dvitīyā), Bahuvacana; demonstrative referring to aśrūṇi

• putrān: sons
• putrān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Bahuvacana

• paśūn: cattle
• paśūn: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Bahuvacana

• ghnanti: kill, destroy
• ghnanti: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), 3rd person, Bahuvacana, Parasmaipada

• prīti-artham: for pleasure’s sake
• prīti-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘prīteḥ artham’; Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; adverbial accusative of purpose

• anuśāsataḥ: of the one who commands
• anuśāsataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√śās (शास् धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (शतृ/PrP), Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana; ‘of one who commands’

Context

O Bharata, the tears falling from the eyes of persons, who are falsely accused and punished for the pleasure of the king will destroy his progeny and cattle as well.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Bharata)

FAQs

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

False punishment violates satya and dharma and brings ruin upon the ruler; a king must never persecute innocents for personal gratification.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama warns Bharata about the moral and social consequences of unjust rule, emphasizing the danger of condemning the innocent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate justice—avoiding cruelty and ensuring truth-based judgments.