Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 82: Bharata Rejects Vasiṣṭha’s Request
Text 2.82.21
एवमुक्त्वा तु धर्मात्मा भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।
समीपस्थमुवाचेदं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रकोविदम्॥
evam uktvā tu dharmātmā bharato bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ
samīpastham uvācedaṁ sumantraṁ mantra-kovidam
evam = this; uktvā tu = having said; dharma-ātmā = whose mind was dhārmika; bharataḥ = Bharata; bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ = and who was affectionate to His brother Rāma; samīpastham = seated next to Him; uvāca = spoke; idam = the following words; sumantram = Sumantra; mantra-kovidam = to the expert minister.
Having said this, Bharata whose mind was dhārmika and who was affectionate to His brother Rāma spoke the following words to the expert minister Sumantra seated next to Him.