Valmiki Ramayana 2.100.69: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 69

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

दशपञ्चचतुर्वर्गान्सप्तवर्गं च तत्त्वतः।अष्टवर्गं त्रिवर्गं च विद्यास्तिस्रश्च राघव।।2.100.68।।इन्द्रियाणां जयं बुद्ध्या षाड्गुण्यं दैवमानुषम्।कृत्यं विंशतिवर्गं च तथा प्रकृतिमण्डलम्।।2.100.69।।यात्रादण्डविधानं च द्वियोनी सन्धिविग्रहौ।कच्चिदेतान्महाप्राज्ञ यथावदनुमन्यसे।।2.100.70।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.100.69

Transliteration

indriyāṇāṃ jayaṃ buddhyā ṣāḍguṇyaṃ daiva-mānuṣam |

kṛtyaṃ viṃśati-vargaṃ ca tathā prakṛti-maṇḍalam ||

yātrā-daṇḍa-vidhānaṃ ca dvi-yonī sandhi-vigrahau |

kaccid etān mahāprājña yathāvad anumanyase ||

Translation

اے نہایت دانا! کیا تم روشن عقل کے ساتھ درست طور پر برتتے ہو: حواس پر فتح؛ چھ گون (پالیسی کے چھ تدابیر)؛ تقدیر اور انسانی تدبیر سے پیدا ہونے والی آفتوں کی پہچان؛ ریاستی فرائض اور بیس قسم کے انتظامی امور؛ نیز پرکرتی منڈل (ریاست کے عناصر و حلیفوں کا دائرہ)؛ اور سفرِ لشکر و تعزیرات کی مناسب ترتیب، اور صلح و جنگ—ان دونوں راہوں—کا صحیح فیصلہ؟

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I trust; is it so that
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed; itself
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• बुद्धिः: intellect; understanding
• बुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथोक्ता: as stated
• यथोक्ता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा-उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वच् + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘बुद्धिः’; अव्ययीभाव: यथा (as) + उक्ता (said)

• मम: by me; my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राघव: O Rāghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• आयुष्या: life-prolonging
• आयुष्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘बुद्धिः’ (understood: ‘(बुद्धिः) आयुष्या’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यशस्या: fame-giving
• यशस्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘बुद्धिः’ (understood)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• धर्मकामार्थसंहिता: aligned with dharma, pleasure, and prosperity
• धर्मकामार्थसंहिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-काम-अर्थ-संहिता (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘बुद्धिः’; समास-विग्रहः: धर्मेण कामेन अर्थेन च संहिता (in accordance with dharma, kāma, artha)

Context

O Bharata, my country which is marked with hundreds of sanctuaries near villages where life of the people is made comfortable, where there are shrines, water distribution facilities and tanks, which is wellploughed and rich in cattlewealth, free from violence and independent of rain. It is enchanting. It is safe from wild animals. With fears expelled, free from sinful people, adorned with mines and wellprotected by my ancestors, it is prosperous and I hope people are living comfortably.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• sandhi (peace)
• vigraha (war)
• daṇḍa (punishment/justice)

FAQs

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

Ethical governance begins with self-mastery (indriya-jaya) and proceeds through disciplined, knowledge-based statecraft—justice, diplomacy, and war only when righteous and necessary.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma tests Bharata’s preparedness to rule by asking whether he follows classical principles of governance, punishment, diplomacy, and strategic decision-making.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and restraint: wisdom that controls impulses and applies power (daṇḍa) and diplomacy (sandhi) with discernment.