Valmiki Ramayana 2.97.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 17

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Devanagari script

यदि राज्यस्य हेतोस्त्वमिमां वाचं प्रभाषसे ।

वक्ष्यामि भरतं दृष्ट्वा राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम् ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.97.17

Transliteration

yadi rājyasya hetoḥ tvam imāṃ vācaṃ prabhāṣase |

vakṣyāmi bharataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājyam asmai pradīyatām ||17||

Translation

నీవు రాజ్యహేతువుగా ఈ మాటలు పలుకుతున్నావంటే, నేను భరతుణ్ని చూసి ఇలా చెప్పుతాను—‘ఈ రాజ్యం నీకే ఇవ్వబడుగాక.’॥

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Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction: if)

• rājyasya: of the kingdom
• rājyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• hetoḥ: for the sake (of)
• hetoḥ: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular); हेतौ (for the sake of)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• vācam: speech/words
• vācam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• prabhāṣase: you speak/utter
• prabhāṣase: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• vakṣyāmi: I will say
• vakṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bharatam: Bharata
• bharatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकालः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• asmai: to him
• asmai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचन (Dative singular: to him)

• pradīyatām: let (it) be given
• pradīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'let it be given'

Context

If you are saying all these words only for the sake of the kingdom, then I shall ask Bharata when I see him to offer this kingdom to you.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Bharata
• kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

Dharma is freedom from craving for power: Rama shows readiness to relinquish kingship entirely, exposing ambition as the real danger.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama rebukes Lakshmana’s aggressive posture by suggesting that if Lakshmana wants the kingdom, Rama will have Bharata give it to him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s vairāgya (detachment) and moral clarity about the corrupting pull of rulership.