Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 105, Shloka 10
भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य कालधर्मोपदेशः
Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Instruction on Time and Mortality
यथा तु रोपितो वृक्षः पुरुषेण विवर्धितः।ह्रस्वकेण दुरारोहो रूढस्कन्धो महाद्रुमः।।2.105.8।।स यदा पुष्पितो भूत्वा फलानि न विदर्शयेत्।स तां नानुभवेत्प्रीतिं यस्य हेतोः प्ररोपितः।।2.105.9।।एषोपमा महाबाहो तमर्थं वेत्तु मर्हसि।यदि त्वमस्मान्वृषभो भर्ता भृत्यान्न शाधि हि।।2.105.10।।
yathā tu ropito vṛkṣaḥ puruṣeṇa vivardhitaḥ |
hrasvakena durāroho rūḍha-skandho mahā-drumaḥ ||
sa yadā puṣpito bhūtvā phalāni na vidarśayet |
sa tāṃ nānubhavet prītiṃ yasya hetoḥ praropitaḥ ||
eṣopamā mahā-bāho tam arthaṃ vettum arhasi |
yadi tvam asmān vṛṣabho bhartā bhṛtyān na śādhi hi ||
大臂勇者啊，请思量此譬喻并领会其义：有人栽下一棵树，悉心培育，使之长成枝干粗壮的参天大树，连矮小之人也难以攀登。若它开花之后却不结实果，栽种者便不能因其所植之目的而得喜悦。如此，强大的护持者啊，莫要拒绝引导我们这些依附于你的臣属与仆从。
O mightyarmed Rama, a man plants a tree, rears it till it grows into such a large tree with a big trunk that it becomes difficult for a dwarf to climb. When the tree flowers but does not bear fruit, the man who planted it gets no pleasure out of the purpose for which the tree was planted. Being a mighty protector, do not chastise us who are your servants. This is a simile. You may better comprehend its implications.(The meaning of the simile is that if you do not assume the throne, the desire of our father, who nurtured you right from your childhood and hoped that one day you will become king and rule the people, will be in vain.)
FAQs
Dharma includes fulfilling the telos of nurture and responsibility: when elders invest in a worthy heir, the heir’s righteous acceptance of duty ‘bears fruit’ for family and society.
Bharata uses an extended simile of a fruitless tree to argue that Daśaratha’s lifelong hope and preparation for Rāma’s rule should not become futile.
Bharata’s persuasive wisdom and devotion: he argues not for himself, but for the father’s intention and the people’s welfare.