Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 18

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Devanagari script

ततश्शोकेन संवीतः पितुर्मरणदुःखितः।विललाप महातेजा भ्रान्ताकुलितचेतनः।।2.72.18।।

Transliteration

tāṃ purīṃ puruṣavyāghraḥ saptarātroṣitaḥ pathi ||2.72.18||

ayodhyām agrato dṛṣṭvā sārathiṃ vākyam abravīt |

Translation

Nachdem er sieben Nächte auf dem Weg verweilt hatte, sprach jener Tiger unter den Menschen, als er Ayodhyā vor sich sah, zu seinem Wagenlenker.

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• शोकेन: by grief
• शोकेन: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीयाविभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• संवीतः: overwhelmed / enveloped
• संवीतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्- वे (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• पितुः: of (his) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मरणदुःखितः: sorrowing over the death
• मरणदुःखितः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरण + दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); समास: मरणेन दुःखितः / मरणस्य दुःखितः (grieved by death)

• विललाप: lamented
• विललाप: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि- लप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• महातेजाः: the great-radiant one
• महातेजाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); समास: महत् तेजः यस्य (epithet)

• भ्रान्ताकुलितचेतनः: whose mind was confused and agitated
• भ्रान्ताकुलितचेतनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रान्त + आकुलित + चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); बहुव्रीहि: यस्य चेतना भ्रान्ता आकुलिता च (whose mind is deluded and agitated)

Context

Having spent seven nights on his way, that tiger among men (Bharata) saw Ayodhaya before him. He said to the charioteer:

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Ayodhyā
• Charioteer (sārathi)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is readiness to act rightly at the threshold of consequence—arrival at Ayodhyā signals that Bharata must now choose conduct aligned with truth and rightful order.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata completes a seven-night journey and, upon seeing Ayodhyā, begins to speak to his charioteer, introducing the next segment of dialogue.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense of responsibility—his first response on seeing the capital is purposeful communication, preparing for decisive, dharmic action.