Valmiki Ramayana 2.37.30 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 30

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ — चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

न ह्यदत्तां महीं पित्रा भरतः शास्तुमर्हति।त्वयि वा पुत्रवद्वस्तुं यदि जातो महीपतेः।।2.37.30।।

Transliteration

na hyadattāṃ mahīṃ pitrā bharataḥ śāstumarhati |

tvayi vā putravadvastuṃ yadi jāto mahīpateḥ ||

Translation

اگر بھرت واقعی مہاراج کا بیٹا ہے تو وہ اس زمین پر حکومت کا حق نہیں رکھتا جو باپ نے اسے عطا نہیں کی؛ اور نہ ہی وہ تمہارے پاس بیٹے کی طرح رہنے کے لائق ہے، اے راجا۔

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (indeed)

• adattām: not granted
• adattām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of mahīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + datta (कृदन्त from dā धातु)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; kta-participle with negation: 'not given'

• mahīm: the earth/kingdom
• mahīm: Karma (कर्म/Object of śāstum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• pitrā: by the father
• pitrā: Karaṇa/Agent-in-passive-sense (करण/Instrumental: by the father)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana

• śāstum: to rule
• śāstum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śās (धातु)
• Form: Tumunanta infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to rule/govern'

• arhati: is fit/entitled
• arhati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• tvayi: in you
• tvayi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; locus: in you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saptamī (Locative), Ekavacana

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (or)

• putra-vat: like a son
• putra-vat: Prakāra (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (vat) used adverbially: 'like a son'

• vastum: to live
• vastum: Prayojana (Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Tumunanta infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to dwell/live'

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu/Condition marker (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (if)

• jātaḥ: born
• jātaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of Bharata)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; agrees with bharataḥ

• mahīpateḥ: of the king
• mahīpateḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (of the king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana

Context

If Bharata is truly born to the king, he will not rule the kingdom which has not been bestowed on him (wholeheartedly) by his father. Nor will he live like a son to you.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Dasaratha
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

Why does the speaker assert that Bharata will not rule the kingdom?

The speaker, Siddhartha, asserts that Bharata, being a righteous son of King Dasaratha, would never accept a kingdom that was not willingly and lovingly bestowed by his father, implying that the throne secured through Kaikeyi's coercion lacks moral legitimacy.

What is the significance of the phrase 'yadi jāto mahīpateḥ' (if born of the King)?

This phrase challenges Bharata's lineage in a moral sense; it suggests that being a true son of the noble King Dasaratha requires adhering to his values of Dharma. If Bharata accepts the ill-gotten kingdom, he would fail to uphold the high ethical standards expected of Dasaratha's bloodline.