Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104, Shloka 16

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य धर्मोपदेशः

Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Dharma-Reasoning

Devanagari script

कुलीन:सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः।राज्यहेतोः कथं पापमाचरेत्त्वद्विधो जनः।।।।

Transliteration

kulīnaḥ sattvasampannas tejasvī caritavrataḥ | rājyhetoḥ kathaṃ pāpam ācaret tvadvidho janaḥ ||

Translation

你出身高贵，德行充实，威光炽盛，又守持誓愿；像你这样的人，怎会为了王国而造罪？

Word by Word

• कुलीनः: noble-born
• कुलीनः: विशेषण (of janaḥ/tvadvidhaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• सत्त्वसम्पन्नः: endowed with virtue/strength
• सत्त्वसम्पन्नः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व + सम्पन्न (प्रातिपदिक; सम्पन्न = पद्-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष—‘सत्त्वेन सम्पन्नः’

• तेजस्वी: splendid, powerful
• तेजस्वी: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• चरितव्रतः: one who observes his vows
• चरितव्रतः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चरित + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष—‘चरितं व्रतं यस्य’ (one whose vows are practiced/observed)

• राज्यहेतोः: for the sake of the kingdom
• राज्यहेतोः: हेतु (Cause/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष—‘राज्यस्य हेतुः’

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• पापम्: sin, wrongdoing
• पापम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• आचरेत्: would do/commit
• आचरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वद्विधः: like you
• त्वद्विधः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष—‘त्वद्-विधः’ = like you

• जनः: a person
• जनः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

Context

How can a man like you, born of a noble race, endowed with energy, powerful and adherent to vows, commit a sin for the sake of a kingdom?

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Bharata
• kingdom (rājya)

FAQs

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

Kingship is not worth adharma: Rama asserts that righteousness and integrity stand above political power, and he trusts Bharata’s dharmic nature.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama begins his response, rejecting any suspicion that Bharata seeks the throne through wrongdoing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s incorruptibility—Rama describes him as vow-keeping and incapable of sin for power.