Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 7

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चित्सौम्य न ते राज्यं भ्रष्टं बालस्य शाश्वतम्।कच्चिच्छुश्रूषसे तात पितरं सत्यविक्रमम्।।।।

Transliteration

kaccit saumya na te rājyaṃ bhraṣṭaṃ bālasya śāśvatam | kaccic chuśrūṣase tāta pitaraṃ satyavikramam ||

Translation

温和的孩子啊，你尚年少，愿你未曾使王国陷入不可挽回的败坏。亲爱的孩子，也愿你恭敬侍奉你的父亲——他的真实威力根植于守真与诚信。

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I hope
• कच्चित्: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात

• सौम्य: O gentle one
• सौम्य: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: कर्ता (Kartā/subject of implied 'भ्रष्टम्')
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भ्रष्टम्: lost/forfeited
• भ्रष्टम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रंश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'राज्यम्' इति विशेषण (forfeited/lost)

• बालस्य: of the young one
• बालस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'ते' इति सम्बन्ध (of the young one/child)

• शाश्वतम्: permanent
• शाश्वतम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'राज्यम्' इति विशेषण (permanent)

• कच्चित्: I hope
• कच्चित्: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात

• शुश्रूषसे: you attend/serve
• शुश्रूषसे: क्रिया (Kriyā/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'serve/attend upon'

• तात: dear
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सत्यविक्रमम्: true in prowess/true to his valor
• सत्यविक्रमम्: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of 'पितरम्')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सत्यः विक्रमः यस्य (whose prowess is truth/true in valor)

Context

O Bharata, the best among the victorious, conversant with timely actions and a bestower of boons! you are the best of men. I trust, you allocate adequate time for attending to all the three expedients of life like dharma, artha and kama.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied by 'father')

FAQs

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

A ruler must protect the state through prudence, and a son must uphold filial dharma by serving and honoring his father; truthfulness (satya) is presented as the real source of strength.

What is the narrative situation?

In the context of counsel to Bharata, the speaker checks whether Bharata is safeguarding the kingdom and properly serving his father.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsible kingship and filial devotion, grounded in satya (truth) as the basis of moral authority.