Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 18

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्मन्त्रयसे नैकः कच्चिन्न बहुभिस्सह।कच्चित्ते मन्त्रितो मन्त्रो राष्ट्रं न परिधावति।।।।

Transliteration

kaccin mantrayase naikaḥ kaccin na bahubhiḥ saha | kaccit te mantrito mantro rāṣṭraṃ na paridhāvati ||

Translation

你是否既不独自一人全然谋议，也不与过多人同时商议？而当你定下国策之后，它是否严守不泄，不致传遍全国？

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• mantrayase: you consult/plan
• mantrayase: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mantr (धातु; denominative from mantra)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Madhyama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

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

• ekaḥ: alone
• ekaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used adverbially with subject: 'alone'

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

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

• bahubhiḥ: with many (people)
• bahubhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) with 'saha'
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Bahuvacana

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Preposition-like indeclinable (सह) governing instrumental

• kaccit: I hope
• kaccit: Sentence particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/hope particle

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana

• mantritaḥ: deliberated, decided
• mantritaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of 'mantraḥ'
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mantr (धातु)
• Form: Kta (PPP) Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies 'mantraḥ': 'counsel that has been deliberated/decided'

• mantraḥ: counsel/plan
• mantraḥ: Kartā (subject) of 'paridhāvati'
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• rāṣṭram: the kingdom
• rāṣṭram: Karma (object) of 'paridhāvati' (metaphor: runs through the kingdom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

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

• paridhāvati: runs about/spreads around
• paridhāvati: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

Context

I hope you neither decide alone nor discuss with many. I trust a decision once made by you is not leaked in the kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• rāṣṭra (kingdom/state)

FAQs

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

Rajadharma requires balanced counsel—neither autocratic isolation nor indiscriminate consultation—and the ethical restraint to protect sensitive decisions from becoming public rumor that can harm the state.

What is the narrative situation?

After meeting Bharata, Rāma questions him about his governance, offering practical tests of good kingship—how he consults and whether decisions remain secure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence (nīti) and self-control: the ruler must seek wise counsel appropriately and maintain confidentiality for the welfare of the kingdom.