Valmiki Ramayana 2.71.34: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 34

भरतस्य अयोध्याप्रत्यागमनम् · Bharata’s Return Journey and the Distant Sight of Ayodhya

Setting: Ayodhya, near the Vaijayanta gate/entrywayPlaces named: AyodhyaImmediately after entry; pausing to question

Devanagari script

स त्वनेकाग्रहृदयो द्वास्स्थं प्रत्यर्च्य तं जनम् ॥३४॥

सूतमश्वपतेः क्लान्तमब्रवीत्तत्र राघवः ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.71.34

Transliteration

sa tv anekāgrahṛdayo dvāssthaṃ pratyarcya taṃ janam ||34||

sūtam aśvapateḥ klāntam abravīt tatra rāghavaḥ |

Translation

مگر بھرت کا دل ایک ہی خیال پر ٹھہر نہ سکا۔ اس نے دربانوں اور وہاں کے لوگوں کے سلام کا جواب دیا، پھر وہیں تھکے ہوئے سارَتھی اشوپتی سے راغھو نے بات کی۔

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Word by Word

• सः: he
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तु: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; contrast/topic marker ‘but/and’
• Role: Nipata (निपात)

• अनेकाग्रहृदयः: with a distracted mind
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘with a mind not fixed (many-pointed)’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• द्वाःस्थम्: the gatekeeper
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; object of प्रत्यर्च्य
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• प्रत्यर्च्य: having greeted
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having greeted/paid respects in return’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• तम्: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; determiner of जनम्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• जनम्: person/people
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• सूतम्: charioteer
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; object of अब्रवीत्
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अश्वपतेः: of Ashvapati
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of Aśvapati’ (proper name/epithet)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• क्लान्तम्: exhausted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लान्त (प्रातिपदिक/क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifies सूतम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय; ‘there’
• Role: Desha (देश)

• राघवः: Raghava (descendant of Raghu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; apposition to सः
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• सः + तु → स तु
• स + तु + अनेकाग्रहृदयः → स त्वनेकाग्रहृदयो (उ + अ → व)
• सूतम् + अश्वपतेः → सूतमश्वपतेः
• अब्रवीत् + तत्र → अब्रवीत्तत्र (त् + त → त्त)

Context

Bewildered, that descendant of Raghu (Bharata), reciprocated the greetings of the gate-keepers and then addressed the exhausted charioteer, Ashwapati:

The teaching

Courtesy need not cease, but discernment demands direct inquiry when the mind senses disorder.

Duties in tension

• Maintaining royal decorum toward subjects
• Urgent need to ascertain truth about the palace/king
• Responsibility to act swiftly if calamity has occurred

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / satya-anveṣaṇa (truth-seeking)

For your practice

Observe mental restlessness as a cue to pause, inquire, and re-center before decisions.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Restless, pressing, uneasy

Themes

• Itihasa
• Dharma
• Anxiety

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Aśvapati (charioteer)

FAQs

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

Even in distress, Bharata maintains social propriety by reciprocating greetings—self-control and courtesy are part of dharmic conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Having entered Ayodhyā, Bharata formally acknowledges the guards and then turns to question his charioteer.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courtesy and discipline under emotional strain.