यां वृत्तिं वर्तते तातो यां च नः प्रपितामहाः।
तां वृत्तिं वर्तसे कच्चिद्या च सत्पथगा शुभा॥
yāṁ vṛttiṁ vartate tāto yāṁ ca naḥ prapitāmahāḥ
tāṁ vṛttiṁ vartase kaccid yā ca satya-pathagā śubhā
yām = that; vṛttim = [the course of action]; vartate = takes; tātaḥ = father King Daśaratha; yām = that; ca = and; naḥ = Our; prapitāmahāḥ = Our great-grandfather and other predecessors have taken; tām = that; vṛttim = course of action; vartase = follow; kaccit = do You; yā ca satya-pathagā = that is in line with truthfulness; śubhā = the blameless course of action.
Do You follow that course of action that Our father King Daśaratha takes, [the course of action] that Our great-grandfather and other predecessors have taken, and the blameless course of action that is in line with truthfulness?1
Here Rāmacandra summarizes everything that He has spoken about and everything that He has not spoken about [here]. He refers to His great-grandfathers [and not His grandfather] King Aja because he did not maintain his kingdom for a long time.
Should Bharata avoid carrying out [any Vedic injunction] that His father, great-grandfathers and other predecessors have not carried out? [No.] He should also follow the auspicious course of action that is in line with truthfulness, that is, the course that follows the path of spiritual realization.
1. All of Rāma’s questions to Bharata about governance in this chapter reveal the extent of His eagerness to benefit the citizens. Just as a good father separated from his children expresses his concern for their welfare as soon as he meets the caretaker of his children, Rāma inquired about the welfare of the citizens as soon as He met Bharata. The Supreme Personality of Godhead loves us, His children, beyond the expression of words, and once we surrender unto His lotus feet, we will be taken care of fully and will be completelysecure. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham will then be practically realized by us.