Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 49
भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च
Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile
मया तु पुत्र श्रुत्वैव रामस्यैवाभिषेचनम्।याचितस्ते पिता राज्यं रामस्य च विवासनम्।।2.72.49।।
mayā tu putra śrutvaiva rāmasyaivābhiṣecanam | yācitas te pitā rājyaṁ rāmasya ca vivāsanam || 2.72.49 ||
But, my son, the moment I heard of Rāma’s consecration, I asked your father to grant the kingdom to you and to banish Rāma.
How many nights have you spent (on the way) since you left your noble grandfather's residence? Hasn't the hurried journey (over such a long distance) on the chariot left you exhausted?
FAQs
The verse exposes a dharma-crisis: personal desire for power drives a request that conflicts with justice and the rightful succession.
Kaikeyī openly admits to Bharata that she initiated the demand for Bharata’s kingship and Rāma’s exile.
Negative exemplar: ambition and partiality overriding fairness; it sets up Bharata’s later rejection as the dharmic counterpoint.