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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.103.21

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 103: Bharata attempts a fast. He spreads grass and refuses to leave, then offers to serve the exile himself, Rāma rejects substitution and promises to rule after fourteen years

In the sequence: Bharata appeals to the people, but they now acknowledge that Rāma's commitment to his father's word cannot readily be overturned

2.103.21

eṣo 'pi hi mahābhāgaḥ pitur vacasi tiṣṭhati
ata eva na śaktāḥ smo vyāvartayitum añjasā

For this greatly fortunate one too abides by his father's word; for that very reason we are unable to turn him back readily.

Words: eṣo — this one; 'pi — also; hi — for; mahābhāgaḥ — greatly fortunate; pitur — of the father; vacasi — in the word; tiṣṭhati — abides, stands; ata — from this; eva — very; na — not; śaktāḥ — able; smo — we are; vyāvartayitum — to turn back; añjasā — readily

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.