Chapter 96 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 96.18

सम्प्राप्तोऽयमरिर्वीर भरतो वध्य एव हि। भरतस्य वधे दोषं नाहं पश्यामि राघव॥ पूर्वापकारिणं हत्वा न ह्यधर्मेण युज्यते। पूर्वापकारी भरतस्त्यागे धर्मश्च राघव॥

samprāpto'yamarirvīra bharato vadhya eva hi| bharatasya vadhe doṣaṃ nāhaṃ paśyāmi rāghava|| pūrvāpakāriṇaṃ hatvā na hyadharmeṇa yujyate| pūrvāpakārī bharatastyāge dharmaśca rāghava||

English Meaning

Surely, Bharata should be slain by me. O Rāghava, fault find I none in slaying Bharata; slaying a former wronger, one does not reap unrighteousness. O Raghava, there is religious merit to be reaped by slaying Bharata, who had formerly done us wrong.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)