Shloka 10

पादुकाप्रदानम्

The Gift of the Sandals and Delegated Kingship

Devanagari script

राजधर्ममनुप्रेक्ष्य कुलधर्मानुसन्ततिम्।कर्तुमर्हसि काकुत्स्थ मम मातुश्च याचनाम्।।2.112.10।।

Transliteration

rājadharmam anuprēkṣya kuladharmānusantatim | kartum arhasi kākutstha mama mātuś ca yācanām ||

Translation

హే కాకుత్స్థ! రాజధర్మాన్ని, కులధర్మ పరంపరను పరిశీలించి, నా మరియు నా మాత యొక్క యాచనను నెరవేర్చుట నీకు యుక్తమే।

Word by Word

• rājadharmam: kingly duty
• rājadharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: rājñaḥ dharmaḥ (duty of a king)

• anuprīkṣya: having considered
• anuprīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + prekṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-artha), pūrvakāla-kriyā; dhātu: prekṣ (प्रेक्ष्) with upasarga anu-

• kuladharmānusantatim: the continuity of family tradition/duties
• kuladharmānusantatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula + dharma + anusantati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; multi-member tatpuruṣa: kulasya dharmāṇāṃ anusantatiḥ (continuity/tradition of family-duties)

• kartum: to do/fulfil
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun infinitive (तुमुन्), purpose/complement of "arhasi"

• arhasi: you ought/are fit
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana

• kākutstha: O Kakutstha
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; genitive pronoun

• mātuḥ: (of) mother
• mātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya conjunction

• yācanām: request/supplication
• yācanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yācanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Context

O Rama, keeping in view the code of kings and tradition of our family, it behoves you to consider my supplication and that of my mother.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma (Kākutstha)

FAQs

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

Rulership must follow rājadharma and inherited kuladharma: Bharata argues that decisions about the throne should align with established ethical codes and lineage tradition, not personal advantage.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata petitions Rāma to act in accordance with royal duty and family tradition, presenting both his own and his mother’s request.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deference to dharma over desire: Bharata frames his appeal as principled, invoking normative standards (rājadharma/kuladharma) rather than mere emotion.