Valmiki Ramayana 2.19.26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 26

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Devanagari script

भरतः पालयेद्राज्यं शुश्रूषेच्च पितुर्यथा।तथा भवत्या कर्तव्यं स हि धर्म स्सनातनः।।2.19.26।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.19.26

Transliteration

bharataḥ pālayed rājyaṃ śuśrūṣec ca pitur yathā | tathā bhavatyā kartavyaṃ sa hi dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||2.19.26||

Translation

భరతుడు రాజ్యాన్ని పాలించుగాక, తండ్రికి యథోచితంగా శుశ్రూష చేయుగాక; నీవు కూడా అలాగే ఆచరించవలెను—ఇదే సనాతన ధర్మము।

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Word by Word

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• pālayet: should rule/protect
• pālayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ/Optative-like in epic: Liṅ (Potential/विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śuśrūṣet: should serve
• śuśrūṣet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuśrūṣ (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Potential/विधिलिङ्), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pituḥ: of (his) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Correlative adverb (तथा = so/thus)

• bhavatyā: by you
• bhavatyā: Kartṛkaraṇa (कर्तृकरण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; honorific

• kartavyam: to be done; should be done
• kartavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; impersonal obligation: 'it should be done'

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (emphasis/causal)

• dharmaḥ: duty; dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sanātanaḥ: eternal
• sanātanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying dharmaḥ

Context

It is your bounden duty to see that Bharata rules the kingdom and serves father.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma is inseparable from filial duty: ruling must be paired with service to elders and moral accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, accepting exile, instructs Kaikeyī about Bharata’s proper conduct as king and son.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Concern for moral governance and family order even amid personal loss.