Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 57

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

गृहीतश्चैव पृष्टश्च काले दृष्टस्सकारणः।कच्चिन्न मुच्यते चोरो धनलोभान्नरर्षभ।।।।

Transliteration

gṛhītaś caiva pṛṣṭaś ca kāle dṛṣṭaḥ sakāraṇaḥ | kaccin na mucyate coro dhanalobhān nararṣabha ||

Translation

噢，人中雄者，愿那贼人若当场被擒、被捕、受审并以证据确证其罪，不会仅因贪恋财物而被释放。

Word by Word

• gṛhītaḥ: seized, arrested
• gṛhītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛhīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √grah)
• Form: Kta (क्त/PPP), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (avadhāraṇa/अवधारण)

• pṛṣṭaḥ: questioned, interrogated
• pṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √prach)
• Form: Kta (क्त/PPP), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative), Ekavacana

• dṛṣṭaḥ: seen (caught red-handed)
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dṛś)
• Form: Kta (क्त/PPP), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sa-kāraṇaḥ: with evidence/with cause
• sa-kāraṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘kāraṇena saha/युक्तः’; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kaccit: I hope; is it the case that...?
• kaccit: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle

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

• mucyate: is released
• mucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada; passive-like sense ‘is released’

• coraḥ: thief
• coraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• dhana-lobhāt: from greed for money
• dhana-lobhāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘dhanasya lobhaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Ablative), Ekavacana

• nararṣabha: O best of men
• nararṣabha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय-समासार्थ) ‘nareṣu ṛṣabhaḥ’; Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

Context

O best among men! I trust that a thief, caught red-handed and interrogated and has sufficient proof is not set free, out of greed for money.

FAQs

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

Rule of law: proven wrongdoing should not be excused through bribery or royal greed; impartial enforcement sustains social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama checks whether Bharata prevents corruption in criminal justice—specifically, the release of guilty persons for money.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity in governance—incorruptibility and consistent application of punishment.