Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 97, Shloka 3

भरतागमनशङ्कानिवारणम् / Dispelling Suspicion about Bharata’s Arrival

Chitrakuta Encampment

Devanagari script

पितुस्सत्यं प्रतिश्रुत्य हत्वा भरतमागतम्।किं करिष्यामि राज्येन सापवादेन लक्ष्मण।।।।

Transliteration

pituḥ satyaṃ pratiśrutya hatvā bharatam āgatam |

kiṃ kariṣyāmi rājyena sāpavādena lakṣmaṇa ||

Translation

罗什曼那啊，即便我曾誓守父王之真言，若以诽谤之名、杀害前来此处的婆罗多而得国，那王权于我又有何用？

Word by Word

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha: genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• सत्यम्: truth/promise
• सत्यम्: कर्म (Karma: object of pratiśrutya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रतिश्रुत्य: having sworn
• प्रतिश्रुत्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + प्रति (उपसर्ग) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having promised/sworn)

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• भरतम्: Bharata
• भरतम्: कर्म (Karma: object of hatvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• आगतम्: who has come
• आगतम्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) + क्त
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past participle: come), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'भरतम्' इति विशेषणम् (Masculine Accusative Singular)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (interrogative)

• करिष्यामि: shall I do
• करिष्यामि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Future, 1st person singular)

• राज्येन: with a kingdom
• राज्येन: करण (Karaṇa: means/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• सापवादेन: tainted with blame
• सापवादेन: करण (Karaṇa: qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग-समानार्थक) + अपवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अपवादयुक्त = with reproach/slander); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'राज्येन' इति विशेषणम् (Neuter Instrumental Singular)

• लक्ष्मण: O Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मण: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

Context

O Lakshmana, having sworn that I would make father's word true, what shall I do with the kingdom earned slanderously by slaying Bharata who has come (to see me)?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bharata
• Daśaratha (father, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires that truth (satya) and rightful conduct cannot be upheld through adharma. A kingdom gained by harming an innocent brother would be morally tainted and unacceptable.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, living in exile, anticipates Bharata’s arrival and rejects any possibility that he would secure kingship through violence or blame.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s integrity: he refuses political gain if it requires wrongdoing, especially against family.