Valmiki Ramayana 2.100.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 3
शततमः सर्गः · Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma
Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare
Setting: Chitrakuta region (Bharadvaja–Chitrakuta approach; Rama’s forest encampment)Places named: Chitrakuta, Ayodhya (implied)Bharata has arrived from Ayodhya to meet Rama in exile
आघ्राय रामस्तं मूर्ध्नि परिष्वज्य च राघवः ।
अङ्के भरतमारोप्य पर्यपृच्छत्समाहितः ॥३॥
āghrāya rāmas taṁ mūrdhni pariṣvajya ca rāghavaḥ |
aṅke bharatam āropya paryapṛcchat samāhitaḥ ||3||
พระรามผู้สืบวงศ์รฆุทรงจุมพิตหน้าผากพระภรตและทรงโอบกอด แล้วอุ้มให้นั่งบนตัก ตรัสถามด้วยพระทัยมั่นคงและสงบแน่วแน่
Sandhi Notes
- rāmastaṃ = rāmaḥ + tam
- paryapṛcchatsamāhitaḥ = paryapṛcchat + samāhitaḥ
Born in the race of Raghu, Rama embraced Bharata and kissed him on his forehead. Placing him on his lap, he enquired thus with a composed mind:
The teaching
Affection need not cloud judgment; even in emotion, one must act with steadiness and ask after the people’s welfare.
Duties in tension
- Rama’s exile-vow and obedience to father’s word vs. fraternal/political pull to return
- Bharata’s duty to accept kingship for stability vs. loyalty to Rama as rightful heir
- Ethical theme
- Rājadharma
- How it resolves
- Inquiry-and-clarification (Rama stabilizes polity through questioning while maintaining exile-dharma)
For your practice
Model of loving-kindness with inner composure; practice of meeting others with warmth while keeping buddhi steady.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shringara (love), with Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Tender, reconciliatory, composed
Themes
- Dharma
- Maryada
- Ethics
- Itihasa
The Self’s steadiness (sthita-prajñatā-like composure) amid emotion; love purified into calm clarity.
Praśna–uttara pedagogy motif: the composed elder questions to establish order (praśna as a means to right knowledge).
- Rama and Bharata
- Elder brother–younger brother; affectionate reconciliation (warmth)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.100.26-31 (Bharata’s meeting and Rama’s rājadharma questions); Rāmacaritamānasa Ayodhyākāṇḍa (Bharata–Rama milana at Citrakūṭa)
Upaniṣadic teacher–student questioning style (praśna tradition)
Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Bharata’s grief and refusal of kingship earlier; Rama’s consistent composure in exile
Anuṣṭup
Narrative
Madhyama (middle register)
FAQs
Dharma here is expressed as self-control and affectionate responsibility: even in intense family crisis, Rāma remains composed and engages Bharata with calm, respectful concern.
After meeting Bharata, Rāma receives him with affection—embracing and kissing him—and then begins to question him about governance and conduct.
Rāma’s steadiness (dhairya/samādhāna) and fraternal affection, showing leadership that is gentle yet attentive.
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