Chapter 111 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 111

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 111.20

अथोत्थाय जलं स्पृष्ट्वा भरतो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। शृण्वन्तु मे परिषदो मन्त्रिणः शृणुयुस्तथा॥ न याचे पितरं राज्यं नानुशासामि मातरम्। एवं परमधर्मज्ञं नानुजानामि राघवम्॥

athotthāya jalaṃ spṛṣṭvā bharato vākyamabravīt| śṛṇvantu me pariṣado mantriṇaḥ śṛṇuyustathā|| na yāce pitaraṃ rājyaṃ nānuśāsāmi mātaram| evaṃ paramadharmajñaṃ nānujānāmi rāghavam||

English Meaning

Thereat arising, Bharata, having touched water, said, You courtiers, and you ministers, listen to me! I did not wish for my paternal kingdom; nor did I sway my mother (towards obtaining the same); nor did I know that the exceedingly righteous Rāghava was to seek the woods.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)