Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 106, Shloka 12

भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः

Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return

Devanagari script

को हि धर्मार्थयोर्हीनमीदृशं कर्म किल्बिषम्।स्त्रियाः प्रियं चिकीर्षु स्सन्कुर्याद्धर्मज्ञ धर्मवित्।।।।

Transliteration

ko hi dharmārthayor hīnam īdṛśaṃ karma kilbiṣam |

striyāḥ priyaṃ cikīrṣuḥ san kuryād dharmajña dharmavit ||

Translation

Hỡi Rama, bậc thông đạt dharma, ai là người hiểu đạo mà lại vì muốn làm vừa lòng một người nữ, đi làm việc tội lỗi như thế—một việc thiếu cả dharma lẫn artha?

Word by Word

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/hetu-nipāta (emphasis/indeed)

• dharmārthayoḥ: of dharma and artha
• dharmārthayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Dvivacana (Dual); dvandva: dharma + artha

• hīnam: devoid (of)
• hīnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā (Accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana; qualifies karma

• īdṛśam: such / of this kind
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies karma

• karma: act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• kilbiṣam: sinful
• kilbiṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kilbiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; apposition/qualifier to karma

• striyāḥ: of a woman / for a woman’s
• striyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana

• priyam: pleasure / what is dear
• priyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• cikīrṣuḥ: desirous of doing
• cikīrṣuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Desiderative participle (san-anta; सन्-प्रत्यय), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘wishing to do’

• san: being
• san: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ/participle of ‘as’ (सन्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘being’ (with cikīrṣuḥ)

• kuryāt: would do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• dharmajña: O knower of dharma
• dharmajña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: dharma + jña

• dharmavit: O one who understands dharma
• dharmavit: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: dharma + vid (knower)

Context

O Rama, conversant with righteousness, will any one who knows the meaning of righteousness, do such a sinful act contrary to dharma and artha to please a woman?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rama
• Kaikeyi (implied by 'woman')

FAQs

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

Private desire must not override dharma and artha: Bharata condemns decisions driven by personal gratification that damage moral order and political welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata challenges the rationale behind Rama’s exile, implying it was done to satisfy Kaikeyi’s wish rather than uphold justice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral reasoning and courage: Bharata speaks plainly about the ethical failure behind the decision.